Missing
by SpottedeyestheAmazing
Summary: Station Square used to be happy and bright. The day Sonic the Hedgehog goes missing the friendly city turns empty and dark. The Sonic Team is split up and G.U.N. has their hands full trying to find the blue hedgie. That's when Emma Burns accidentally reveals a big secret and is whisked into the world of fighting robots and saving the world. Until Sonic is found, she agrees to help.
1. Chapter 1

Depression wasn't even close to what I felt at this moment. The empty, hollow feeling made a chasm deep inside. I had never been more alone, either, as I sat to myself listening to my earbuds. Though I loved the songs, For King and Country couldn't even cheer me up. The room chorused with voices, all oblivious to my apparent state. Even Ash, who sat right by not three feet away. That made the emptiness even larger.

The bell rang, a gracious call for freedom in my opinion. I gathered up my belongings and skipped away from the class. Sprinting footsteps from behind caused me to wonder if Ash finally got the memo. But then the sound of his girlfriend's high pitched voice told me otherwise. Bitterness should've risen in my throat, and a pure ball of hatred should've replaced the vacancy in my gut. It didn't matter how many reasons I came up with, though. I couldn't bring myself to despise the girl who stole my fanboy. Even if it was crushing me.

To get in between classes, students had to pass through the parking lot centered in the middle of the two buildings. To make matters even more fantastic, there was only one pair of metal doors for each building that led in or out. All others were locked constantly. My mind was void of any thought or feeling as I attempted to squeeze inside, when some kid pushed by, knocking my stuff down. From the look on his face, it was clear it was an accident. He muttered his apologies and kept going, and guilt slowly crept into me. I wanted to call back something nice, anything that would've made his day brighter. After all, someone deserved to be cheery on this beautiful morning. But all I managed out was a few profanities whilst bending down to pick up my things.

Through the masses of teenagers, a stranger beat me to the mess sprawled on the floor.

"Are you okay?" She asked kindly, helping me to my feet. I looked up with a forced smile, recognizing my cousin, Lady. Her deep, brown eyes flickered with concern. She knew my weekend had been rough, but didn't push any questions. God how I wished I wasn't so emotional.

"Yeah. Same as always." I replied quietly. She nodded, giving me a quick hug as we continued down the narrow halls. We split up at the intersection to depart to our separate classes. For me that meant dealing with Greek symbols and numbers and other confusing things for the next hour. Yippee.

The class room was literally divided by a row of desks. One side had six friends, and the other side had four. I slid into my seat next to the four, feeling someone's eyes burning holes into my head. I glanced up, briefly noticing a white fox with blue markings staring at me. Her hair was put up into a ponytail, as always, and her attire consisted of jeans and a navy blue over shirt, possibly covering her T-shirt. Her piercing violet eyes smiled at me. I looked away and started digging for last night's unfinished homework. She was probably really hurt from that one simple action. Mia had been my best friend since kindergarten, and up until these past couple of weeks, we told each other everything. She knew something was bugging me, and while I did drop hints of what it was, I never outright told her. It always made me feel guilty to talk about my problems, like I was putting the weight of my life on someone else's shoulders.

The boy in front of me swerved in his feet until we were eye-to-eye. I caught him raising an eyebrow at my chicken-scratch assignment, but luckily he didn't say anything about it. Otherwise I would've murdered him on front of the whole class.

"You feeling all right, Emma?" Micheal asked with plain amusement. I'll admit the situation was humorous, if not completely ironic. Normally my homework was done before yesterday's class ended. My grades wouldn't be drowning in misery and my stuff wouldn't be a mess. So to see me frantically finishing whatever pitiful work I had already somewhat completed was out of the ordinary.

"Just peachy." I answered tightly, before standing up and turning it in. No one bothered to talk to me. I just sat in my desk and prayed with my entire being that this period would end fast.


	2. Chapter 2

"BOI SONNY, WAS I RIGHT!!!!!"

The entire class jumped a mile high as my other best friend practically screeched her triumph. I'm not sure what the topic was about, and apparently she didn't either. All that mattered was that the crap she just jotted down on paper that should've never been correct in a million years was actually acceptable. That in itself was a warning of the end of the world.

The wolf with vibrant, sky blue fur was grinning ear to ear. Her silver eyes lit up with a rare form of happiness. Anyone who wasn't blind or dumb could see she was beautiful. Her pride immediately shifted to mortification as she realized all eyes were on her. She ducked her head, her cheeks flushing with a deep crimson.

"Nice job, Chloe!!" Some kids laughed. I watched as she bit her lip to keep from grinning like an idiot. I couldn't hold it back any longer. I threw my head back into a great burst of laughter. God, she was ridiculous.

"I am literally going to kill myself." She muttered, still smiling. I took a deep breath from my chaotic outburst. She said that everyday. To sum it up, she could be a total drama queen. And I was the only person who could officially make it worse in the best way possible.

"Hey, Chloe?"

"Hm?"

"I was in the car yesterday with Rose and Granny. There was a fly inside, and it was buzzing around Rose's face."

Chloe propped her head up on her hand with dull interest. Anything concerning my bratty sister seemed to make her upset.

"Granny asked me why Rose was whining. I told her a fly was bugging Rose."

Chloe dropped her pencil and gave me a what-the-heck look.

"Did you tell me that because of my suicide talk? Because now I really will kill myself." She added, although her eyes glittered with laughter and a good-natured grin painted her features. I couldn't help but smile back. Her attitude was contagious, which was a good thing considering my terrible demeanor this morning.

That's when the power went off, and we were left in total darkness. Some screamed. Others made hushed whispers. I rolled my eyes, and I imagined Chloe doing the same. It was more than likely some drill or test the faculty was running secretly. Or maybe some idiotic freshman was pulling a prank. This year's batch did bring in a load of juvenile delinquents. Moments later, the fluorescent lights flickered on, illuminating all of our relieved faces. All heads glanced up at the intercom as it crackled to life.

"Attention students! We apologize for the...inconvenience. There was just a minor glitch in the system, but not to worry! School will go on just as planned."

A chorus of groans echoed all throughout the school. It wasn't a surprise. It didn't matter if Station Square was rampaging with tiny robots who wield flamethrowers and shocking arms. We would have class no matter the consequences.

The sickening sound of the principal's voice spluttering from the intercom brought me out of my thoughts with disdain.

"Have a lovely day!"

Click.


	3. Chapter 3

(*My bad. I couldn't upload the chapters yesterday. So two chapters today!!!*)

The sunlight was warm and inviting as I stepped into it's rays. Kids slipped out behind me, desperate to get away from this torture chamber. With a deep breath, I shifted the weight on my shoulders and followed the crowd. Many stores dotted the sides of the street. One I passed was an electronic store with TVs and gaming consoles in the windows. All screens had the latest news on with passerby's having their eyes glued on them.

"...our hearts go to the Sonic Team as they deal with this..."

The sounds faded away from my ears, replaced by the constant bustle of the city. I imagined the lady was talking about the most recent, mind-shattering news. It was worst than the rage-quit Eggman threw out on us. Most were now crestfallen or anxious, skittering around every dark alley and ominous circumstance they found themselves in. Times were sad, and not just because of what happened a month ago. The city was suffering. Kids watched and waited in their living room floors and windows, silently wishing their favorite blue hero would return home safely. Desperate fangirls had either gone mad or far-past upset. Even ole Eggman hadn't stooped down to take advantage of our weakness.

It made me wonder of he was really mourning the loss of his arch rival, or if he had something to do with the sudden disappearance.

I turned down onto my street, allowing the thoughts to bounce back and forth in my brain. Theories were normally Mia's specialty, but every once in a while, I'd join in on the fun. I'd never been a big fan of Sonic the hedgehog myself, but for him to be gone for so long did make a girl wonder...

I stepped into my house, darting eyes up and down the road for good measure. Then I snuck inside, already prepared for what awaited me.

"Emma? Is that you?" A woman's voice called from somewhere deep inside. I bit back a retort. Who else would she be expecting? A hot date? I almost laughed at that thought. As if that would ever happen.

"Yes ma'am." I called back, cringing at the high pitched, little kid way my voice came out.

"Is Rose with you?"

"No."

"Is today her practice?"

"Not that I know of." By "practice" she meant my sister's volleyball team. The season ended last week. She must've been extremely tired to forget. I dragged my bag through the house to reach my room.

"How was school?"

"Great. How was work?"

"Oh..fine!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. My door was right in front of me, but I couldn't bring myself to open it. My mom worked nightshift in the worst part of a hospital. She watched people die on a nightly basis. Last week they had to let go of a thirty week old baby. Now work was fine? I shook my head with disbelief and waltzed right into my room. T-shirts and spandex shorts lay sprawled all over the floor and on of the two small beds. One closet door looked as if it had been flung open, revealing all of its messy contents. This would be the grand work of Rose, aka, the messiest girl on the block.

"Could you call Rose?" Mom yelled," Granny should be here soon to pick you both up."

I did a silent happy dance whilst whipping out my phone and punching in my sister's number. Going to Granny's always meant good times. The phone rang once. Twice. It beeped three times before I was graced with her lovely voice.

"Where are you?" I immediately asked.

"Calm down. I'm walking to the house right now."

"It doesn't take half an hour to walk a few streets."

"Hey, not everyone can go as fast as you can. So please. Chill."

She hung up, leaving me frustrated. She was right, in a sense. While the entire world focused on one speed demon, I was, in fact, the fastest girl alive. No one knew because I never told anyone. For starters, it's not like people would believe me, anyway. They all had their minds set that not one soul could even compare to the Blue Blur when it came to foot racing. Secondly, the guy already had enough drama in his life, what with vanishing in thin air and all. Who was I to take away his title right smack in the middle of all this?

"What did she say?" Mom's voice jarred me out of my thoughts.

"She's on her way." I called back. Then I rushed to get my things together for tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

"You have about an hour." Granny spoke beside me. We stood at the farthest reaches of the city next to some old diner. Swamps and forests lay beyond the border, blocking the bright sunset and sitting ominously under the pink and orange dappled sky. The old echidna gave me an encouraging smile. I nodded at her, already determining how far I could go.

"Call me if anything happens...although I'm sure you can handle yourself." She added. I grinned and stepped up to the line of shadows. For once I was wearing shorts with a loose T-shirt, exposing all my scars from previous runs. Sometimes I zoned out in the middle of a sprint, and I'd end up in the dead center of a thorn patch or face first into a tree. Painful as the consequences were, there wasn't anything I loved to do more. With a deep breath, I took three quick steps forward before sprinting at a much larger speed.

Objects and colors blurred in the background and I swerved and dashed under the forest canopy. Moments later, it was all replaced by flat, outstretched land reaching far and wide. It was the perfect course. Up ahead, a wide ravine laid as my next obstacle. I braced myself and picked up speed. One flaw or wrong movement and SPLAT! I'd be a pancake. I reached the edge at a pace far greater than nature designed. At the last foothold, I pushed off and was sent high up into the air. Butterflies crowded my stomach at the descent that waited for me. Gravity dragged me straight back down to the other side, but I was ready. I landed with my knees bent and sprinted even faster down the terrain. Wind billowed my pink quills, sending them into a mess. No roller coaster could compare to this.

I finally stopped on a sandy shore with dark, blue waves crashing up against it. Here, the sunset was in clear view. Blinding light cascaded upon the scenery to make a romantic setting. Or it would've been had sand not decided to get all up inside my sneakers. For it to be "romantic" there had to be more than one person, anyway.

A sigh escaped my lips as I closed my eyes and melted. If only I could stay here. No school, no drama, no depressed city...what I would give for that. But if I left, Mom would throw herself into a deeper pit than the one she already dug, and my entire family might end turning even more insane than they already were. This dream that I had would just have to be like it was now. Nothing more than one of the stops on my runs.


	5. Chapter 5

One plus of staying with my Granny would be how early I got to school. That being said, there wasn't another soul around besides the Vice Principal and my sister. It stayed like that for another five minutes. Ash usually got there around that time. Considering how much he'd been completely ignoring my presence for the past couple of days, I was relieved to see him stepping up to me by our corner next to the coke machines. In his hand was his phone, his black earbuds hidden in his brown fur. We shared nods before he took his place by me. He silently passed me an ear bud. A dubstep song blared through it. This was how it had been before he gained a girlfriend. Back when he was my fanboy.

There was no use in dragging myself back into the past, now. I had to take any time with him that I could get. His grey eyes landed on me. I gave him a look reading "is something wrong?" His gaze turned into one of confusion.

"Are you okay? You've been kinda distant lately." He said. I gaped at him incredulously. I'd been distant? He had no right in saying that. I tried to talk to him, tried to get him to respond to me. He stiffened as I opened my mouth for a retort.

"I mean you've been upset!" He defended quickly. I stopped and looked away. He had no idea.

Dinner had started out fine. Just the usual town gossip between me, Granny, and Rose over a giant plate of fries and chili cheese dogs. I listened more than chatted. Storytelling wasn't my forte unless it was about something worth talking about– unlike the "who cheated on who" crap that normal women talked about. I bit into a fry dripping with cheesy goodness, pretending to listen. Rose leaned in with glittering eyes as if she was taking in every word like it was her death sentence. I choked back a snort at her pathetic form and continued munching on the treats.

That's when the conversation turned dramatically.

"You realize your dad stole five hundred dollars from your mom's savings bond." My granny started. I quickly grabbed my coke and took a swig, forcing myself to not spit anything out. Where the heck did this come from?? I watched as Rose nodded, completely unaware of how drastic this change was. Maybe I should've paid better attention to their talk...

"She had a full ride to college. So did Tyler."

I gulped down another fry to distract my thoughts. Why was she bringing my brother into this? I hadn't seen him in well over half a year, and now she was forcing him back into my brain! Not to mention talking about Dad like that.

"He's been in bars and strip clubs, taking photos with his 'friends' on Facebook."

I stared at the wall behind her, swallowing the bile in my throat. This I already knew. Mom used to talk about the things Dad had done to her. It was the same speech each time.

"He's dating a twenty four year old now." Rose put in," She's emo and supports a devil-worshiping group."

My head snapped in her direction. Now this I hadn't heard. I knew there had been a new girl in his life, but all other information had been guarded from me. Granny fixed her steely blue eyes on me, the ones I so luckily shared.

"Don't cry, Emma. It's not your fault." She added quietly. I blinked, clearing my head of any further negativeness. I shot her a small, forced smile, hoping it wasn't too obvious how uncomfortable I was.

"It's cool. I'm fine."

She narrowed her eyes with doubt. Nothing could get past her. Especially not my attitude.

"Did you know any of this?" She asked. I shook my head, unsure of what else I could say.

"She knew about the twenty four year old." Rose butted in. I poured myself some more coke, shakily trying to screw and unscrew the lid. Granny watched me carefully, as if I would burst any moment.

"Actually, I was unaware of exactly who this girl was." I said. The frustration deep inside was cautiously hidden. They gave me their last stares before continuing the conversation, leaving me to rage eat the rest of dinner.

I blinked away the memory, fogging it as much as I could. They always brought up Dad in front of me. But I tried to keep school and personal matters separated.

"I'm fine." I told him with a monotone voice. Even I could tell I was lying. I plastered on a fake smile, hoping it would convince him.

"So, when's the launchpad wire coming in?"

Luckily he didn't notice my diversion and went along with the conversation. He talked about how his new gadget wouldn't come in for a while, but I only half listened. I was too focused on looking okay to try to pay attention. Eventually he whipped out his mobile version of his launch pad and started playing Sing Me to Sleep. I closed my eyes and tried to get sucked into this song, far away from reality.


	6. Chapter 6

The greatest class in school by far would be Agriculture. To me, that is. There was literally only five girls, including me, and the rest were all immature boys. Still, the hands-on projects we did were the greatest. At the moment, one of the other girls and I were assigned to build a wagon. Her name might've been Cassie or Cara. I didn't speak to her much.

There was always one guy who had some sort of hidden grudge against me. Leon, the sidekick of all-annoying-football players. He ticked me off for an entire list of unexplained reason. Half of them he purposely added. I was sure he found amusement in pushing my buttons. But then there were times when I could get him back.

For the past few weeks, Leon had had a cast on his hand for his pinky and one other finger. How in God's name he broke his pinky in football is beyond me. As I was screwing on the handle to the wagon, it became more and more apparent that this would be a multi-tasking problem– something I wasn't necessarily fond of. Leon was standing on the side lines, watching Cassie and I work on the project. I eyed his cast with an idea bouncing through my head.

"Hey, Leon?" I asked. The young lion immediately perked up, awaiting for me to continue.

"Do you mind giving me a hand?" I asked wryly. It was meant more as a joke, but the boy took it serious. He kneeled by my side, examining the problem closely. Cassie and I chuckled at his oblivion. He looked at us, not understanding what was so funny.

"What am I suppose to do?" He asked me. I smiled at Leon and showed him the screw. He shook his head and walked away, a smile spreading across his face as well. At least he finally got the hint.

Amidst the rest of the project with kids running back and forth to find the right sized wrench or correct part, a large shadow casted itself over the school. We all looked up to be greeted with a giant metal ship of sorts. My gut twisted. Our worst fears had been confirmed. Eggman was attacking now, when we were at our weakest point. Some kids ushered themselves inside. Cassie and Leon stayed by me, gazing up with a mixture of awe and anxiety. Would the Sonic Team show up? It wasn't like that blue hero could save us now... More than likely, we would all be included in some mass genocide.

"That's strange." Cassie frowned," Eggman wouldn't attack us without Sonic around."

Leon snorted with disbelief. I turned to her with bewilderment. She took notice and answered slowly.

"Eggman isn't harmless. He doesn't kill. He just terrorizes people for the game. What's the point in doing bad if there's no one to try to stop you?" She added. I bit my lip, thinking hard on this. She was right, which wasn't a surprise. To my knowledge of her, she was considered the smartest kid in our grade. So why did I still feel queasy?

"So why is he here now, Sherlock?" Leon retorted. I shot him a glare.

"It's elementary, my dear Watson!" She joked good-naturedly. Then she followed our classmates inside. I wanted to follow her inside, but my feet were glued to the ground. I was forced to watch the ominous, ghastly shadow envelope the city.

"You going inside?" I heard Leon ask. I furrowed my eyebrows, unsure how to answer. Deep inside, there was this urge to watch and wait. I'd seen battles between the fat man and the hedgie's gang. They always captivated me.

"No." I finally answered. I could practically see him look at the ground and shaking his head with that grin.

"You're crazy." I heard him remark. Though anticipation brewed in my stomach, I was able to smile genuinely.

"Sweetheart, I am the definition of mad." I replied. Leon gave one more snort before following all the other teens. The loneliness hit me hard. Not a soul stirred outside. We were all waiting for a miracle, a sign that this was nothing More than a hallucination. Boy, were we wrong.

"Attention citizens of Station Square!!!" His bloated voice blared,"I plan to unleash a wave of Beta Series robots in a matter of seconds, which will ultimately destroy your home!!"

His cackle made me nauseous. At the same time, I was slightly humored. Who goes through all that trouble to make a "brilliant scheme" only to blurt it out seconds before it takes place? Even with the clock ticking, that gave time to anyone smart enough to grab a weapon of some sort, or anyone fast enough to escape. That made me realize that I was still standing clear out in the open when I should've been racing away as fast as I could. Preferably in the opposite direction.

"But if Sonic the Hedgehog decides to show up, then I will make a full retreat and not harm a single hair."

Now this bubbling buffoon had my full attention. He must've missed the hero just as much as we did. I looked around nervously in hopes of seeing one of the members of the Sonic gang, but it was in vain. After many moments of deathly silence, Eggman had had enough. And there was no one to stop his rampage.


	7. Chapter 7

The hull of the ship split open down the middle. Thousands of grey, heavy falling objects dropped from the sky like a shaded rain. It took moments to realize they were machines. Each one landed with a small impact and immediately went to terrorizing. Their armor certainly was different with harder shells and blue wiring. But besides their new appearances, they just acted like hyped up cell phones. It shocked me to see so many people fleeing down the streets and bolting doors to houses rather than fighting these pathetic buckets of bolts. Had we really sunk so low? Then again, we hadn't had to fight much in these peaceful days.

I hesitated as the ship made its path right above the school. I could run. No one would notice. In fact, no one besides my close family would care. Then the first bot fell in the parking lot. I knew there wasn't much of a choice.

Spin balling was never my thing. I could never aim exactly right. Plus, once my spikes poked out, my clothes ripped. Precious lives were at stake, though, and even if the targets were walking tin cans, that was worth more than a few ripped clothes. I slipped my jacket off and tossed it on the unfinished wagon. This would be much harder in skinny jeans, but I'd have to try.

I buckled down and curled into a fetal position, giving myself a boost of speed as I did. In moments I had aimed right at my first target...and missed completely. I was discouraged, but tried again. This time I managed to successfully tear through metal, sending the remnants flying to the side. One down, a million more to go. I raced around the school to get a better look at what I was dealing with, bouncing off of more bots as I did so.

As I came to the front, the gravity of the situation becoming more and more apparent. Hundreds upon thousands of cheap bots littered the streets, chasing off pedestrians and ripping buildings apart. How was I suppose to kill them all off?

"Think, Emma." I hissed to myself," What would Sonic do?"

I immediately turned my attention to the giant ship all the metal nuisances had poured it from. That was my best chance. Where there's a crowd of robots, there's a remote. Now how would I get up there..

I eyed some of the buildings, jumping to the side when one of the pests tried jabbing me. A few roofs were slanted like ramps. Maybe if I could gain enough speed...

I sprinted over to one of the houses, shimmying up the fire escape ladder. My train of thought caused me to hesitate in my actions. Here I was, pretending to be a hero. What was I thinking? Only good people did things like this! I returned back to my task as a young wolf raced by with pure terror. This was stupid. Worth it, but still stupid. I braced myself like I would at a starting line of a race. The ramp loomed, striking doubt into my mind. I pushed the thought away and concentrated on what the goal was. Think brave. Think heroic. Think fast.

I dashed forward, rising up with as much speed as I could muster. At the top, I pushed off with all the strength inside of me. In midair, I forced myself to curl up into a ball, like I did when fighting the robot. The next moments could be described with unbearable pain and a rush of wind. My side hit metal with a thud! I grunted and groaned, standing up slowly. A loud siren rang throughout the corridor I stood in. Broken glass laid shattered around the spot I had been in. Throbbing pulsed in my side and head, but I numbed it away and started walking. Each step came with a rush of burning. Note to self: next time, find a door and crash through that.

I kept walking until I came to a large room. Considering the fact that the desks and screens were covered with buttons and complicated sciency things, this was probably the control room. In the center was a thick, black chair with two smaller slots on the side.

"HOHOHOHO, Finally!! You grace us with your--" the chair spun around, revealing a man with an over sized belly, the most ridiculous outfit on the planet, a long ginger mustache pointed on both ends, and a pair of sixties glasses perched atop a bulging nose. A frown was plastered on his face with clear disappointment. Obviously I wasn't the hedgehog he'd expected.

"You're not Sonic." He mumbled, mostly to himself. The two slots at his side's twisted to face me as well. Both were slightly less intelligent creations compared to the robots outside. One was yellow with cube shaped appendages. The other was red with orbs rather than cubes. I crossed my arms at their presence. Hopefully if I looked serious, they would be intimidated. Sadly, that wasn't what happened.

"It's that weird hammer girl!!!" The yellow one screeched. Hammer girl? Eggman back handed the poor servant with a scowl.

"Cubot, you dolt!! It's just some other pesky rodent." He sneered. I gritted my teeth. Screw the whole "hero act" I tried pulling off. This just got personal.

"Hey, pal? Mind explaining why you're tearing up my home? Better yet, why you're even here?" I snapped. He didn't flinch like I hoped he would. In fact, he seemed rather bored.

"I don't have to explain anything. I thought my reasons were quite obvious. But, I suppose those with hard heads and simple minds wouldn't understand." He sighed. Whether it was fake or sarcastic was a mystery. If he was telling the truth, then that meant Cassie was right. In a whole lot of ways that was believable. But on the other hand...

I shook my head and tried to pinpoint where the stinking remote was. It laid right next to his arm out in the open. The next move I did wasn't exactly planned and was completely brash. I raced forward and swung my arm out, easily snatching up the remote. I was back in my place before a second had passed. Surprise glinted in his eyes, but that's as far as it went.

"You may be fast, but you will never compare to my arch rival." He said. The red henchbot patted his master's shoulder with something akin to comfort. I raised an eyebrow. I didn't want to be like Sonic. But at the moment, I was the city's only hope. Maybe if the people weren't such cowards, it would be different. I pressed the shutdown button and smashed the contraption with my foot.

"Take your depression out on your robots instead of the world. You're starting to sound like a girl." I snapped. Eggman didn't offer a reaction of any sort. I turned and left with a hollow feeling. This was nothing more than an empty victory. As I reached the spot I had entered in, a problem that should've occurred in my mind earlier finally rang loud and clear. How was I going to get down?

That's when a dark form swooped down outside until it was hovering right in front of me. The woman was a bat who clearly didn't understand the meaning of the word modesty. A smug look was etched on her face. Automatically I didn't like her.

"Care for a ride?" She asked. I sighed and glanced down at the ground far below. What choice did I have? I gave a reluctant nod and allowed her to grab my arms and lift me into the sky. The metal ship sailed away on the sky, thankfully in a direction out of Station Square. The tiny scenery below caused my stomach to squirm with unease. Heights were not my friends. After moments of soaring through the air, I watched the school pass by. Confusion hit me like a brick wall.

"Err...we just passed my drop off." I noted out loud.

"Sorry, I forgot to add. You won't be going back anytime soon today." She smirked. I looked up at her with widened eyes. My god! She was going to drop me!! Much to my surprise, we kept flying until Station Square was a line in the horizon.

"Okay, so if I'm not going home, not going to class, and you're not killing me, where are we headed?" I questioned.

"Let's put it this way. The Sonic Gang is officially no more. They've split up. Now, I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but when someone with super speed pops out of nowhere and starts 'saving the world', well, you can probably guess how G.U.N. reacted." She chuckled. I went red with embarrassment. Having the attention of G.U.N. was far past rewarding. To be honest, that frightened me. Their agents were said to be tougher than steel. Was she taking me to their headquarters? But their base was in the opposite direction.

"My boss decided that you could be useful, thank goodness for you. So I'm taking you to a friend's house. Then- and only then- will I explain everything."

I was left alone to my thoughts, wondering what laid awaiting for me.


	8. Chapter 8

While I had totally expected a spy base or abandoned warehouse, this shady character dropped me off at a small cottage. I have to admit, I was disappointed. The bat knocked on the wooden door with a mysterious silence. I didn't trust her. Yet here I was, waiting at the doorstep of doom. Perhaps this was the home of a low profile assassin. Maybe G.U.N. was angry at me for butting into the mess.

The person who opened the door rather surprised me as well, destroying any threatening images in my head. A rabbit stood inside, her gaze unsure as she noticed the bat.

"Hello, Rouge." She greeted with a forced smile.

"Hey there, Nill. Hope you don't mind me and pinkie here hanging around a bit." Rouge greeted. I shot her a glare at the nickname. It hadn't occurred to me that she didn't have a clue who I was.

The rabbit smiled at me with uncertainty.

"And who might you be?" She asked. I rubbed my wrist with slight nervousness and I replied.

"Emma. Emma Burns."

She nodded."It's nice to meet you, Emma. My name is Vanilla. Do you want to come in?"

I hesitated as she moved to the side. Rouge, on the other hand, gave her a tight smile before waltzing in. Eventually I followed her, but my guard was still up. The inside was cozy, not at all like a spy torture chamber.

"Where's Creamy?" Rouge asked. Vanilla stiffened.

"Cream is out in the garden with Cheese." She answered. I bit my lip, forcing down a remark. Vanilla? Cheese? Cream? It was enough to make a foodie go mad. But I didn't want to be rude in this nice stranger's house.

"I would've cleaned up a little had I known there would be guests." Vanilla said.

"The matter kinda just popped up." Rouge explained. I stood to the side awkwardly, wondering what I had to do with this situation.

"What matter would that be?" Vanilla inquired. Rouge nodded at me without an expression.

"This chick here."

I burned up, frustration brewing deep inside. She could've called me by my name instead. Vanilla turned her attention to me. I knew some explaining had to be done.

"She made the decision to play Sonic today. And surprisingly she didn't do too badly. Her attacks could use some work, but–"

Rouge's explanation was cut off by the sound of the back door opening and closing. A small bunny came skipping in with a blue and yellow chao at her side.

"Mama, is lunch ready yet?" The little girl I assumed was Cream asked. She froze in place as she noticed me and batgirl standing there.

"Miss Rouge, what are you doing here? Is someone in trouble?" She asked. Rouge snorted, earning a disapproving stare from Vanilla.

"Meet the new hero...er...heroine of Station Square." She jutted her thumb at me. I held back the urge to roll my eyes and gave the kid a small wave.

"New hero?" Cream echoed. Her chao said something in its "choo-choo!" language. Flustered, the meaning of what these people have been implying finally rang loud and clear.

"I'm no hero!" I blurted quickly. Rouge narrowed her eyes as if telling me to shut up. But I wasn't about to just lie to them.

"I just happen to be fast. I could never do Sonic's job. Not even Eggman took me seriously..." I frowned. The image of the broken villain was glued in my head. There was no way I could take the hedgie's place. Not one person spoke after me. Rouge looked slightly irked whilst Vanilla seemed thoughtful. Cream, on the other hand, had a wide-eyed stare.

"Why did you bring her here, Miss Rouge?" She asked with pure innocence. She echoed my thoughts exactly. The bat's lips curved upward, if only by a little bit.

"I was hoping you would know where Amy and Tails are. The Commander believes that if we can get everyone to think Emma here can replace the Blue Blur for a little while, then we'll be able to find Sonic without any distractions." She replied. My head started spinning until the room was nothing but a blur. She wasn't serious. My speed was suppose to be a secret. Did I make a mistake by helping out the town?

"We should let Emma decide if she wants to do this, first." Vanilla spoke. All eyes fixed themselves on me.

"Whaddya say, kid?" Rouge asked with a smirk," Wanna save the world?"


	9. Chapter 9

The bowl of chili cheese dip laid untouched at the table before me. A bag of corn chips was set aside next to my coke. This was my idea of a balanced breakfast. Sadly, I couldn't bring myself to touch it. I still hadn't decided if I wanted to take Sonic's role.

It's only temporary. I thought. Just until the real fastest thing alive returned. But what if he didn't? I'd be stuck as the world's savior. What if the team didn't like me? I hadn't even met them yet! Somehow, I had this idea that none would be too thrilled to hear about me. Then there was the fact that I literally had no idea how to save the world. It sounded difficult.

Rouge had given me her number so that I could immediately text my response. Time was running short. If only life wasn't so complicated.

Rose strode in at that moment, flipping her hair as she took her seat across from me. We didn't speak. The silence wasn't awkward, but rather a mutual understanding that we'd probably be caught in an inferno before getting along with each other. My Poppy trailed in moments later, the echidna's black and grey quills still disheveled from sleep. Mine used to be as dark as his. Without all the grey, that is. Eventually I just dyed mine pink for no other reason except that I hated being the color of bleh.

I watched him with disinterest as he stepped up to window at the front of the house. He froze in his tracks, his jaw set.

"Shoot fire!!" He cursed. He bolted out the door, quickly shutting it behind him. Rose shifted in her seat till she could see out the window.

"Uh oh."

"What?" I asked, picking at my food.

"It's a coyote."

"So?"

"I think there's something wrong with it..."

Our conversation was interrupted by four bangs, each one loud and jolting. After the last one, we sat in silence. Technically guns were forbidden in city limits. How in God's name my own grandfather managed to get ahold of one might never be answered. It took seconds before the front door was heard again.

"Come look at this!" His deep voice called. Obviously he wasn't bothered with the fact that Granny was still resting. We headed for his voice and were ushered outside without shoes. Laying still in the streets was a young coyote, looking to be ten or twelve. Blood seeped through a hole in his hip. His side's heaved with heavy breathing. A weird substance matted the fur around his eyes and muzzle.

"That stuff there shows he's sick." Poppy muttered. I kneeled down, feeling quite depressed. His ear twitched, but I was the only one to notice.

"What's he sick with?" Rose asked.

"A disease kinda like Rabies." He answered," Only, it's not as deadly."

At that moment, the coyote's head shot up. He blinked his dark eyes with clear confusion. It occurred to me that maybe he only had a cold. He didn't look too bad. Just baffled.

BANG!!!!

He fell limp at the killing blow right in the neck. Nausea churned in my stomach. I raced inside, not caring if anyone saw my speed. I stood over my seat and grabbed my drink, throwing back my head and letting the liquid seeping down my throat. He was just a kid.

Poppy and Rose soon reentered the dining room. Concern was etched in his features.

"You all right, Emma?" He asked. I forced myself to take a bite of the dip.

"Yep." I replied. Because seeing your grandfather mercilessly slaughter a kid was totally a normal thing.

"I've gotta go make a few calls. We may have a Pickins disease out break." He sighed. I watched him walk away, feeling unsettled.

"It was sick, bro." Rose stated," We're technically ordered to take away the sickness."

I didn't respond, finally licking up the last bites of chili cheese. I'd made up my mind. I pulled out my phone and texted Rouge. Deep inside, I knew she'd be pleased with my answer.


	10. Chapter 10

On boring, dull days with nothing to do and two goofy kids sitting side by side in history, something was bound to happen. Micheal and I shared this class with maybe nine other students. Somehow, we both managed to scare the crap out of all of those snobby teenagers.

"You're ready for anatomy, right?" He asked me. Although his swirling gold and green eyes revealed that he already knew my answer.

"Nope." I replied bluntly. The assignment was to figure out some weird cell function we each had, since the school was made up of all sorts of animals. Most would have it fairly easy. Micheal was literally a cat, one of the most basic creatures known to man. Researching his cell variants would be a cinch because some wise geeky scientist had probably done a research paper on cats and their bodies. I couldn't get away with that, mainly because I'm not suppose to exist.

"Come on, Emma. All you had to do was research hedgehogs." He gave a wry grin. I dropped my pencil and gave him a flustered look. One of my closest friends had forgotten one of the biggest facts about me.

"Bro. I'm half hedgehog. The other half of me is an echidna." I snapped. He frowned.

"Could you spell that please?"

I sighed, ripping out a piece of paper. Micheal watched me with patience, although I was positive something stupid would come out of his mouth. What I hadn't realized was exactly how stupid. I placed the paper on his desk. He glanced at it, still having a funny look.

"What's a echinada?"

It sounded so close to "enchilada" that I thought he was pulling the meme about Knuckles. Then I saw how serious his face was. Stunned, I just sat there with my mouth opening and closing like a fish, trying to form words.

"It's echidna." I finally managed to say. He looked back down, realizing his mistake.

"OH! Well it looks like echinada."

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I bent over and let out a giant laugh. The entire class froze with terror at my sudden outburst. Even Mr. Gilmore fixated his gaze on us. I took deep breaths in hopes of stopping my giggles. Dear chaos, I looked like an idiot. The sandy colored cat only let his grin grow wider.

"Seriously, what's an echidna?" He asked. By now everyone had returned to their loafing around, leaving him and me to discuss this important matter.

"An echidna is what Knuckles is." I answered. Micheal scratched the tufts of his hair with confusion.

"The red guy?" He asked. I mentally sighed. Of course he didn't know who Knuckles was. The guardian was only seen in the city square from time to time. He was always up on Angel Island guarding the giant emerald. I gave Micheal a nod.

"He's the one everyone calls an enchilada." I grinned. Now it was his turn to laugh. A girl to the front with cute purple glasses turned to us with confusion. From the half-finished mermaid drawing on her desk, I knew she was an artist. Micheal knew her better than me. He gasped for breath and looked at her.

"Hey Tina, can you draw Knuckles as an enchilada?"

With that, he bursted into fits again. Luckily the bell rang before he could make anymore comments.

Agriculture came after History. While I was always ecstatic about going to this class, this time it was for a different reason. Rouge had replied to my text after I had just sat down, sending some excuse on why she was replying late. Just as I figured, the choice I'd made had practically made her day. Unfortunately, Leon sat beside me, and his curiosity overwhelmed him.

"Better not be texting your boyfriend." He smirked. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why? Is there a problem with it?" I asked with a bittersweet tone.

"You have a boyfriend?"

"Would it bother you if I did?"

He rolled his eyes and turned away. I smirked and turned back to my electronic conversation. At least I could enjoy the period in peace. What I had forgotten was all his buddies that shared a class with us.

"Do you make it a hobby to ruin his life?" One asked. I snorted.

"He spoke first. Therefore, he ruined his own life."

"Well yeah, but you don't have to be rude."

"There's a fine line between being cocky and being rude. But then again, I guess you wouldn't know the difference."

"See? Right there. Rude."

I huffed, trying my best to not explode. I didn't need to go home with yet another reason for my mom to hate me.

"Could you screw off? Please?" I asked. He held up his hands in surrender and turned away. This is why I didn't have a boyfriend. Thankful for the peace at last, I returned to concentrating on talking to Rouge.


	11. Chapter 11

It was clear that I'd have to eventually meet the Sonic Team. I just hadn't expected it to be that day. Sitting on my bed at my Granny's, the only thing on my mind was how in Chaos was I going to pull off this act. The ring of the doorbell immediately brought me out of my thoughts. It was followed by my granny's calls shortly after.

I slipped out of my room with racing thoughts. It could've been a package. She and Mom were frequently purchasing useless junk off of websites. That theory crashed when I reached the front door. Rouge stood there with G.U.N. ID in hand. My poor grandmother's face said it all. Thus began the series of secrets and lies.

"Come now, Miss Burns." Rouge urged, almost with a mocking tone," Your fate awaits."

It took every ounce of self control not to explode into mad laughing. This wasn't my fate. This was far beyond my fate, far past what the world expected of me. I forced myself to act distressed, whispering a small good bye to my granny. Had Rose been in the room, she might've made things ten times worse. She would've asked questions– ones that I certainly had no answers for.

I was met with another surprise as a black Jeep was parked at the front of our house. Rouge held one door opened, signaling me to get inside. I ducked in, hoping my fake remorse was believable. Rouge sat on the other side of me, giving a thumbs up as her door slammed to a close. The mysterious driver said nothing, only responding that he understood by pulling away from my home.

"It's safe to talk now. The driver is under an oath of silence." Rouge smirked. I let out a breath, feeling queasy.

"I hope you have a good alibi for why the heck I was picked up. My entire family is going to freak once they hear about this." I told her. She raised an eyebrow.

"Tell them the truth. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to realize they're 'little girl' is now the town's savior." She shrugged. I shook my head and looked out the tinted window. She didn't understand. That was not an option.

"What? Are they over protective or something?" She inquired.

I snorted, the beginnings of a smile appearing on my face. "No. Granny might flip. But otherwise, I think I'm in the clear when it comes to that concern."

"So...why can't you tell them?"

I shuffled in my seat, racking my brain for any way to divert the topic.

"Where are we headed? Vanilla's house?" I asked without looking at her. My attempt to change subjects did not go unnoticed. Her short silence told me that much. I prayed she didn't push the matter. Thankfully, she went along with my distraction.

"Not this time." She replied. I peered at her. Where else would we go? Unless it was G.U.N.'s head quarters...

"An acquaintance of mine lives nearby." She said as she looked me over. I fidgeted in my seat, feeling uncomfortable by the sudden attention.

"We'll need her help to get you in ship-shape. 'Course, it does seem she as her work cut out for her." She snickered. I glared, although silently agreeing. The bat had made a major point. I could never fit the part Sonic played. Not without someone getting suspicious that is. Hopefully whoever this "acquaintance" was would fix that.

We ended up halting in front of a group of apartments all the way on the other side of town. Rouge pulled me towards one building, sending only a single wave at the driver, before dragging me up a flight of outdoor stairs.

"Boy, for being so fast you sure walk slow." She grunted. I bit my lip with agitation growing inside. It wasn't like I knew where we were going. All this territory was unfamiliar. It didn't take long to find our destination. Rouge was knocking at the door without giving the action a second thought. There were no words of encouragement, no advice. I was treading on grounds practically blind. I'd have to rely on my quick thinking to get through this one.

The wooden door slowly cracked open. A flash of pink caught my eye, but Rouge was blocking the rest of my view.

"Good God, Amy!" Rouge cried," You look terrible!"

"Thanks." The stranger replied sarcastically,"I hadn't noticed."

My mind was whirling as their conversation continued. Amy. As in Amy Rose. The biggest fangirl of the Blue Blur. Why had the G.U.N. agent brought me here, unprepared and inexperienced? I held my breath as Rouge barged inside, dragging her pink companion with her. I heard their quiet argument from outside. The door was wide open, and I was still awkwardly standing there. Two choices laid before me. One was to just wait where I was. They'd be back soon. But I wasn't really the patient sort. The other option was stepping inside. It would be better than gawking like an idiot.

I looked up at the sky, wondering why I had to be dragged into this overly complicated situation. Then I walked in.


	12. Chapter 12

I had never been to another person's house who was depressed, so I guess somewhere in my mind, I thought all empty souls dealt with the pain the same as I did. When I walked into the apartment of Amy Rose...it became apparent how wrong my judgement had been. The living room and connected kitchen area were untidy,especially compared to my immaculate home. Cleaning for me was a distraction from negative thoughts. The girl herself was seated on a couch completely covered with blankets and tissues. Her eyes were stained red with dark bags hanging below them. Her hair and pajamas were bedraggled as if she hadn't bothered to leave the house in forever. Which she probably hadn't, unless absolutely necessary. I reflected on myself in that square moment of time, realizing exactly how hard I tried to show everyone that I was completely fine. On most days, that is.

The pink hedgehog's eyes were glazed over. It was hauntingly similar to the look Eggman had. Rouge stood over her with a stare of disdain and worry.

"Listen, girly. I might have some news that'll cheer you up." The bat started. Amy looked up at her with the faintest of hope.

"Did you find Sonic?" She asked hoarsely.

"Sadly, no. But, you know how Blue is." She responded encouragingly," I'm sure he'll walk right through your door one of these days and pretend nothing ever happened!"

Amy gave her a blank stare.

"Rouge, it's been over a year." She half whispered," If he wasn't in trouble, he would've been back by now..."

My eyes slowly grew till they were the size of tennis balls. The team had only announced the devastating news a month ago. If he'd been gone this long, surely he'd be...

I snapped myself out of that attitude. There was still a chance. I just had to hold onto it.

"Exactly. And with all these disturbances, it's been hard to put our best agents on the trail. That's why the Commander decided to bring in a temporary replacement."

Amy's attention returned in a flash. Her gaze narrowed at Rouge with something dangerous lurking deep within.

"No one could replace Sonic." She spat. I flinched at her words. I knew it. The team wouldn't accept me and I'd go back to being a regular Joe. Rouge looked up at the ceiling with a huff.

"Right. Well, it's only temporary. Besides, you seriously need to get out more. This'll be good for you, and the rest of the world." She added. That's when the pink hedgehog noticed my presence. Her emerald eyes fixated on me with mixed emotions.

"Who are you?" She asked. Rouge opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to the answer.

"Name's Emma." I grinned," The fastest girl alive."

While I was totally bluffing, I couldn't help it. The title rolled off my tongue effortlessly like it was meant to be. Sure there were probably faster girls out there, but I'd worry about their copyright issues later.

Amy blinked, seemingly stunned. Then, her face reverted back to its dull state.

"Let me guess, they handpicked you from some five star training center." She stated blandly. Rouge was shooting daggers at me now, but I ignored them.

"Nope. I go to Station Square High." I replied. She didn't even blink.

"I'm impressed. I thought they'd give you a better back story than that."

My ears bent back and my fists clenched out of pure instinct. Fury slowly ebbed into my system, giving way to the raw emotions deep inside. It angered me to realize not a single soul could take me seriously. Everyone up top that I met had this image fixed in their mind's eye of some master fighter. They all believed only the best and strongest could take the place of Möbius's savior, and the only way to be that was by being trained for it all your life. Here I was with nothing but speed and quick wits, and not one person could take me seriously. Not one.

"Right. A back story." I shook my head and momentarily glanced at Rouge. She had a scowl plastered on her face. She probably guessed what I was going to do next.

"Why is it so hard to imagine a local teenager stepping in when things go south? I mean, it happens in stories all the time!!" I cried. Amy crossed her arms and leaned back with a bored expression.

"If you really are from here, why haven't we heard of you earlier?" She asked," And how come you happen to show up at the exact time Sonic disappeared?"

Anger eased into anxiety as I prepared myself to spill the truth.

"My mom works night shift as a nurse. She takes care of the people who are deathly ill. Half of those are the 'casualties' from your battles." I started. Her gaze flickered with something besides the blank stare. Even Rouge stopped glaring.

"Because of that, she kinda...hates you guys." I continued," We used to live a lot farther than here, somewhere near South Island. There, everyone knew about me and my super speed. But the rest of our family was here, so we moved when I was ten. She was afraid I'd try to follow in Sonic's footsteps. Eventually, we ended up hiding my abilities."

My muzzle morphed into a scowl as I continued.

"As for your other question, everyone else was terrified of the walking trashcans ole Egg McFatty put out. My original plan was to get away and find one of you guys. I thought G.U.N. could handle it until then." I lied. I couldn't admit I was going to run away. That would make me sound stupid and selfish. Not exactly the characteristics people look for in a hero.

"My plans changed when no one arrived. I ended up going to Eggy to take the remote, but he was too upset to fight back." I paused with a frown," He wouldn't take me seriously, either."

"That's when I came in and took her to Cream's." Rouge finished. Amy seemed baffled and maybe at lost for words. Finally, she coughed and managed to shift her stutters into a sentence.

"There was an attack?" She asked meekly. I bit my lip as Rouge gaped.

"That's it. You are getting up and getting dressed."

"But-"

"No buts! Emma needs training, and you need a reason to stop moping. Sonic wouldn't have wanted that."

I opened my mouth to protest that I didn't need training, but held back. She was right. Unless I could learn how to fight, I couldn't go along with this act. Rouge shoved Amy down to her room and turned to me with an eyebrow raised. My nerves kicked in. I waited for her sharp tongue to do the damage. She caught me off guard as she smirked.

"Egg McFatty? Walking trashcans?" She snickered. I let out a breath of relief, giving her a playful glare.

"You gotta problem with my nicknames?" I asked.

"No. But just because you're pretending to be Sonic, doesn't mean you have to act like him around us."

I flushed as she sauntered out. Cockiness was in my better nature. It wasn't like I could stop from being myself. Her statement left me with an ever growing cloud of resentment over my head. When would they stop comparing me to him?


	13. Chapter 13

Numbers and letters blurred together on the slab of pink and black paper. It had been an hour since Algebra 2 had started, and somehow I couldn't answer the simplest questions. It was quite literally the easiest test of the year. But last night Amy and I had to do late training...

Duck. Spin. Rev. Release. CRASH!!!!

I groaned from my seat on the ground, my side up against the formidable tree. While it hadn't been my original target, it had been close enough. Who knew spinballing could be so painful?

"Are you okay?" Amy asked for the millionth time as she stretched her hand down to me. I gave a gruff nod and grabbed it. She was dressed in her red dress and boots with her hair straightened like usual. She looked nothing like the broken mess from the first time I met her.

"Try it again, only this time, let's try to hit the eggbot instead of the tree." She grinned. I gave a tired smile back. The night sky had already graced us with its dazzling view, the stars twinkling their hellos. The moon was skinny and outstretched, similar to what the Cheshire cat's smile might look like. The "eggbot" was nothing more than a trashcan propped up in a small clearing not too far from Vanilla and Cream's house.

"Remember, the only way to get better is practice. Just you wait." She encouraged," One of these days, you'll be as good as Sonic!"

At the sound of his name, her emerald eyes flashed with hurt, as if just speaking it reopened wounds. I gave her a thumbs up and prepared to retry.

It took a while, but soon enough I could whirl and strike with great accuracy. Maybe it wouldn't be as good as Sonic's, but my spinballing would be something future enemies would have to beware of. Of course, my granny was quick to fire questions as soon as I came home. Thank goodness Rouge had typed up a letter at Cream's, else I would've been at lost for answers. She wrote it like she was the Commander, explaining that I'd been especially chosen for training and that I'd be pulled in frequently.

Granny hadn't been too happy, but no one argued with G.U.N. All that was left was to tell Mom. The thought sent ripples of fear up my spine, causing my pencil to shake profoundly. I pushed all nervousness aside and tried to get the paper to refocus.

I turned in my work right before the bell signaled our release. Mia and Micheal slipped up beside me with huge grins.

"Thanks for being our scapegoat." Mia stated first. I smiled in response. Micheal snuck me five dollars with the same joyous glint.

"You know, for a little bit there, I thought you really were having problems." He smirked. I scoffed and placed a hand on my chest.

"Are you implying that I'm dumber than you?" I grinned. Mia slapped my arm, but not hard. It was all cool, though. Micheal and I both had insomnia, and even doing some of the simplest tasks after a week of not sleeping turned difficult. Still, I refused to let my best friends know how much I was actually struggling.

"Do you guys know who stopped Eggman the other day?" Mia asked. My heart sank as this conversation popped up. I had known sooner or later I'd have to face this issue. I'd just been hoping it would've came later.

"Nope." I replied. At least I was used to lying. Otherwise this would have been a huge problem.

"Shawn says he saw something fast attack a bot in the parking lot. But he couldn't get a clear glimpse of what it was." Micheal answered. My heart skipped a beat.

"Maybe Sonic's back." I suggested, praying with all that I had that I hadn't been discovered. Unfortunately, Micheal shook his head.

"Shawn says this thing was kinda red."

I shrugged,"Maybe he was tired of being blue."

Mia and Micheal groaned at the terrible pun, but I couldn't stop myself from cackling. My jokes were the greatest, no matter what anyone said.

"Great. Excuse me while I go cleanse my brain of your dorkiness." Mia sighed as she fled into class. Micheal nodded at me with one last snicker before trailing after her. I veered left, entering my next class with ease. I found my spot by Chloe, who already was spinning her latest tale about Randy. Aka, her boyfriend. I sat and listened patiently, wondering what this afternoon would bring.


	14. Chapter 14

There was a certain sense of welcoming at the Rabbits' house that I couldn't quite place. No other site had this unique feel to it, which just added to my confusion. Amy sat at the table with Cream and I, while Vanilla busied herself in the kitchen. From the looks on their faces, they couldn't sense it like I could. But then again, they all grew up here.

Normally my afternoons were filled in with town gossip and dull conversations. Thankfully, that's not what my two newest friends spoke of.

"I can't wait to get started on adventures again!" Amy exclaimed," It's been a while since I've used my hammer."

I casted her a sideways glance. By now I knew she was thirteen, which seemed a bit too non threatening in my eyes. But then again, I was only a couple years older than her, and I could smash bots better than any adult.

"I bet mister Knuckles and Tails will be happy too." Cream added excitedly. Cheese fluttered around her with an equally happy gaze.

"Yeah. I'm sure Tails gets lonely out there flying all over the world by himself." Amy added. I raised an eyebrow with curiosity. There was a boy just over a decade old who was flying a plane and authorities weren't worried? Just goes to show how concerned our government was. At that moment, Vanilla walked in with a warm smile fixed on me.

"What about you, Emma?" She put in. She'd probably been listening from her spot in the kitchen. I responded with a confused look.

"I've never been on an adventure. I mean, I run around outside of town for the heck of it. But there's not much but racing involved." I answered.

"I bet it's fun to go that fast whenever you want." Cream sighed with a light in her gaze. I shrugged.

"The rush is pretty cool. And I like watching reality and fantasy blur together." I added. They all just stared at me, and I knew I'd lost them. I blushed slightly, brushing away a strand of pink hair as a distraction.

"I-I mean it feels like the world fades and it's just me." I explained with a sheepish smile.

"But wouldn't it be boring to be all alone?" Cream asked. I blinked, biting back a retort. I hadn't meant it from a literal standpoint.

"Well...sometimes the world is just too much...and I find it easier to just take a break from it every once in a while." I replied slowly. I wasn't sure how to make a kid understand.

"Enough of that. You already know a lot about us. Why don't you tell us something about you?" Amy asked. I shuffled in my seat.

Vanilla noticed my awkwardness and tried to help me out.

"Do you have any siblings?" She asked.

"Yeah. I have an older sister. Her name's Rose. She's a bossy boots. And I have a brother named Tyler." I smiled fondly at the name. It had been a long time since I talked about him.

"What's he like?" Amy asked. I chuckled, recalling everything I could about him.

"He's kind of a dork. He travels with my dad in his band. He can sing a little, but mainly he plays guitar. Sometimes when he's bored, he'll just whip out his axe and strum a few words and make up some ridiculous tune." I told them.

"Your dad's in a band?" Cream asked, and Cheese sat on her head with wonder. I laughed at the sight.

"Yep! They play country music, and sometimes rock. They go all over Möbius." I grinned.

"Do you get to see them often?" Vanilla asked from the doorway. My happy demeanor instantly vanished.

"No. My parents split up when I was little. I don't get to see Dad or Tyler for more than five hours at a time." I looked down as I added in a soft voice," I haven't seen 'em in a year."

The room went eerily quiet. They hadn't meant to hit a nerve, but it still hurt to talk about it. I could recall a time when teachers would fuss over me, worrying about my mental state. Pretty soon, one had finally convinced my mom to come for a meeting.

"I just don't understand how a girl who reads so much could fail reading."

I gulped, pressing back the bitterness. She hadn't noticed. Even when complete strangers did. Even when the Councilor told her. She refused to admit something was wrong with her child.

"Mrs. Burns, your daughter seems to have a few...issues."

"Pardon me, but I'm not sure I follow."

"She said something today. Not to mention her attitude and grades are pitiful. Is everything all right at home?"

"What did she say?"

"Oh."

God, it hurt even now. It had been five years since that day. Five years of hiding and lying. She wouldn't acknowledge the fact that I was keeping secrets. Ones that would tear her apart. But Dad knew. He always knew. So did Tyler. They were just afraid to tell her because she wouldn't hear it.

I felt something land on the side of my head, bringing me out of my thoughts. It took me a moment to realize that it was Cheese hugging me. The feeling made me want to break down. But I forced a laugh and patted the Chao on the head.

"Thanks Cheese." I sniffed. He gave a "choo choo!" and patted my head with one of his tiny arms.

"Looks like Cheese likes you!" Cream giggled.

"That's a good sign." Amy smiled.

It lifted my spirits to see them do joyful, even after a moment's awkwardness. Maybe joining up with this crew wouldn't be so terrible.


	15. Chapter 15

I sat once again in class feeling hopeless and empty. And for what? Because I said a choice word? If Rose hadn't been there, it would've been different. I'd been holding a door open because for some reason it was still locked on the outside. I told her to go find a teacher or someone with keys. She said no. The word slipped out. From that one moment, I knew I was a goner. The worst part wasn't the death sentence that surely awaited me when I got home. It was the fact that Ash hadn't even acted like he cared at first. He was still grinning ear to ear, falling head over heels for Callie. I knew I would never again be his first priority. But the hollow emotion it gave me was far past overwhelming.

It was when I finally broke down in the back of the class that the danger I was in finally hit him. As he attempted to comfort me, I realized I no longer wanted his help. Obviously my problems didn't matter as much as they used to. The situation was nothing but me being selfish. I didn't want for someone to tell me everything was going to be fine, that maybe the problem would just vanish. That's all Ash did. What I needed was someone who could take me away, if only for a little while. I needed to run. Sadly, no one could know I was the new speed demon in town, so racing out of the school was not an option. I told myself that maybe it would be best to not go home. Rose wouldn't tattle for the sole reason that I wasn't there for her to torture. But where would I go?

The tears ran down the side of my face. I hid the sight by burying my head in my hands, hopelessly wiping each drop away. It's not like anyone would notice anyway. They all had drama of their own. Still, it stung when I saw Ash laughing and smiling, not even glancing my way.

My phone buzzed slightly, causing me to pause my music.

Amy: Mind stopping by Cream's house this afternoon? there's someone we want you to meet

A genuine smile of relief spread across my face. Here was my escape. I texted back that I would come by as soon as school was out. Suddenly, my day got a lot brighter.

As the day continued, my dilemma was forgotten until I'd buried it somewhere deep in my mind. It wasn't difficult since my teachers did everything in their power to make the day unnaturally interesting. I was called to the office about third period, and all my worries came back. But when I reached the door, the girl at the desk told me to run to Mr. Welder's room. He was my honors English teacher, and one of the most straightforward people you would ever meet. On the day of our progress reports, he told us we all did terrible. Only, none of us could take him seriously because he was grinning and chuckling the entire announcement.

Despite his friendly attitude, I found being called to his room terrifying. I crept quietly in, shaking from head to toes. He sat at his pedestal at the front peering down at some papers. I was afraid he hadn't heard me, so I walked up with hidden nervousness. To be honest, I hadn't slept but four of the fifty seven hours I'd been awake. Anymore bad news and I'd break.

"Miss Burns, you've accomplished the impossible." He stated without looking up. I blinked, confused to the highest level.

"Excuse me, sir?" I asked. He finally looked at me through his tiny, square glasses, a thin line on his face.

"You have quite literally broken the fourth wall."

I opened my mouth for a reply, but could find none whatsoever. For a fleeting moment, I was afraid he had seen me fight Egghead.

"You see, you utterly failed the first ten questions of my test, but you passed the second part– the hardest part, that is– with flying colors."

I sighed with relief. All I'd done was blow his mind. I just smiled and shrugged. He handed me a clean test sheet and pointed at a desk.

"Let's just retake it. I'm sure it was an error on your part."

Protesting would've done no good, and I certainly didn't want a F. I took it without any complaints, this time concentrating to the best of my abilities.


	16. Chapter 16

This time when I stepped out of school, I found Rouge waiting by a lamp post at the front. Not one person recognized her, and I sent a quick prayer of thanks. Chaos knows I'd never be able to explain why I was with a G.U.N. agent. Not without the usual theories and rumors, anyway.

"Ready to go?" She asked. I opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off by an achingly familiar call.

"EMMA!" I turned with dismay, spotting my sister fleeing out the door. She dashed up to me, out of breath to say the least.

"Where do you think you're going?" She snapped. Rouge cleared her throat, obviously not a big fan of my present sister.

"She's coming with me on official G.U.N. business." She stated. Rose barely glanced up at her before focusing on me again.

"Does Mom know where you're going?"

"Nope. It's confidential. Tell her my boss called me in when you get home. 'Kay?" I smirked as I continued," Better hurry now. I won't be there to give you an excuse this time."

Rose flinched before retreating. I watched with an odd feeling of satisfaction as she stumbled off.

"Great. Now that that's over, let's head out." Rouge said. I turned back to her with a firm nod. A new stranger awaited my presence. Who was I to deny that right?

Rouge flew while I ran until we reached Vanilla and Cream's cottage. By now I could probably run there blindfolded if they let me. Outside sat a biplane with a two tailed design painted on the back. I grinned, getting a good idea of who I was to meet. Rouge said nothing, but shoved me inside the house first. Needless to say, I was already prepared to meet the new guest.

He sat at the table between Cream and Amy. His crystal blue eyes were sharp and alight. Two tailed drifted back and forth behind his seat, similar to the ones on the plane. Amy was the first to notice me.

"Hey, Emma! This is Tails." She introduced. I had already figured that out. I waved at the kitsune.

"Hi! You must be the girl Cream and Amy were talking about." He smiled.

"Guess so." I grinned.

"Miss Emma can run as fast as Sonic!" Cream bursted. And little Cheese went "choo-choo!" I rolled my eyes.

"Well, nothing's definite." I admitted.

"She took on Eggman by herself." Amy added in. Tails gave me a surprised glance. I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly.

"Yeah. But to be fair, anyone could've knocked down those bots." I stated. For some reason, nervousness crept inside of me. He was younger than me by quite a bit, but the thought of him being the second person I had to impress caused him to seem intimidating.

"You act a lot like him." Tails noted, suspicion blanketed by interest. I blinked with shock. Why did everyone keep saying that?

"Yeah. You wouldn't believe she was just a school student by talking to her." Rouge piped up. I silently thanked her with a short smile. The hesitance was still clear in Tails's eyes. If only there was a way to get him to believe. Getting Amy to understand was hard enough.

"Where'd ya go?" I asked. Somehow I knew he would understand what I was talking about. The topic was a diversion until I could figure out a definite way to get on his good side. Luckily he didn't catch on.

"I guess I went pretty far." He admitted. The beginnings of a smile twitched on his face.

"I visited a lot of our old hangouts. Green hill, Metropolis, even Angel Island!" He exclaimed. I watched as Rouge immediately perked at the last name.

"Did you see Knuckles?" Amy asked. Tails nodded.

"Yep. He's still protecting the Master Emerald." The young fox frowned as he continued," He also has all of the chaos emeralds. He said Sonic gave them to him last year, but he wouldn't say why..."

The room grew sullen at the mention of the hedgehog's name. It felt as if something were missing for that fleeting moment. They could all sense it. The sadness was beginning to seep inside of me before I could realize what was happening. I hid my arms behind my back before pinching down on my right wrist. It was an old tactic I used. If I ever started to form negative thoughts or attitudes, I'd press down on a certain part of my arm or leg as punishment. It worked for a while, but once my friends caught me, they made me quit.

"At least we know he intended to leave." Rouge thought aloud.

"Yeah." Was Tails's short reply.

"But did he intend on coming back?" Amy said. It was barely more than a whisper, but it was louder than any of the comments that had been made. The question was lingering in our minds before she had spoken. Saying it felt wrong. I knew I couldn't just let them sit and mope around.

"I'm sure he did." I stated," Sonic may be blind when it comes to his limits, but he's not stupid. If he knew he wasn't coming back, he would've gave you guys some hints."

Tails, Cream, and Amy all had serious expressions as if trying to recall a distant memory. Rouge caught my eye with something akin to approval. I shifted in my spot and waited for their responses.

"I don't remember him doing anything unusual." Tails admitted slowly.

"He certainly hadn't bothered to visit that day." Amy muttered bitterly. Hope flared in my chest.

"See?" I said," It sounds like he thought he was only going to be gone a few days."

"Which turned into a few months, which turned into a year." Amy sighed. I racked my brain for any bit of encouragement. I couldn't let them get depressed. Then I saw Tails furrow his eyebrows.

"It's kinda weird. I've flown all over the world to find him, but no one has seen heads or tails of Sonic." He noted. Cream's eyes widened and she hugged Cheese with worry.

"Could mister Sonic be in trouble?" She asked.

"Let's hope not." Rouge grumbled," G.U.N. already has enough problems without Blue being in danger."

I pondered on the new information, wondering what it could all mean. Where could he be? How long would he be gone? The same questions must've been running through the others' heads.

"If we could only get Knuckie on board. Then finding Sonic should be easier- not to mention faster." Rouge added. I could tell what the sly bat was doing. Another psychology trick Mia used on me once or twice. The younger members didn't pick up on it and took the bait with ease.

"He'll have to join." Amy snapped. I made a mental note to thank Rouge later. She deserved it after saving my sorry tail so many times. The conversation continued, flipping between the problem with Knuckles, and what to do now. It wasn't long before I melted out of their world and entered one of my own. Without admitting it, anxiety had filled me like never before. Amy's statement from earlier had bothered me more than it should've. It just got me thinking if Sonic would ever come back.


	17. Chapter 17

Half filled stadiums were illuminated with large, fluorescent lights that stained a yellow glow. The sky was black and the field was crowded. I inhaled, catching a faint whisp of popcorn, pickles, and chili fries. Homecoming. The one game of the year I ever went to. My jacket was black against my gold shirt, and the wind was oddly chilly. I paid no attention to my surroundings, instead searching the small crowds for a certain white fox. It appeared my luck had soured, for five minutes into the game I still couldn't spot her. As I walked around the bleachers once more, hoping deep down that I had just missed her, a little girl with a blue tutu stopped dead in front of me.

Her hair was braided to the side in a twist of bright blonde, and her eyes were the loveliest shade of hazel. She couldn't have been older than five.

"Could you help me?" She asked with pure innocence. For a moment, I hesitated. Most kids had this odd habit of getting close to me. As cute as it was, it bugged me that parents wouldn't notice.

Finally, I sighed," Sure. What's wrong?"

"Could you help me find Paisley?" She asked, swinging back and forth on her tiptoes.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I don't know who she is."

"She's a girl in my grade."

I choked back a laugh. Before I could reply, she had grabbed me by the hand and gave me the biggest wide eyed stare. Not even Cream could top her.

"Please?" She asked sweetly. I bit my lip, debating on my choices. I wasn't even given a chance. She started leading me away from the rest of the crowd. I could barely utter a "sure" in response. Her grip was strong. But the biggest surprise came to me when she turned around with the biggest smile.

"I love you." She spoke. It came out of the blue. At first I was speechless. It blew my mind that this little girl could say things like that to someone she had just met. I wondered if I'd ever been like that. Then I came to my senses. This was wrong. I could be charged with kidnapping at the very least. I stopped her gently and kneeled down till I was her height.

"Where are your parents?" I asked.

"One's home watching TV. One is over there." She pointed at the bleachers we had just walked away from. Aggravation brewed deep inside. I doubted the Mom even knew her little girl had left her side.

"Maybe you should go back to her." I suggested softly. She cocked her head with clear confusion.

"Why?"

"Well, I'm a stranger. And I don't think your Mom would like you being around me."

"Why?"

"Because you don't know who I am."

"Oh." She frowned slightly," What's your name?"

It took all the self control I had to not laugh. She was so oblivious, so innocent.

"I'm a student who goes here." I replied. Sure, the response was mean and maybe a bit cocky, but I knew I had to get her back to her parents.

"You better go back to your parents. I'm sure your friend will be here soon." I smiled. She gave a small nod and walked past me where the bleachers were. Her steps were slow and deliberate, as if she knew I was watching. I wanted to make sure she got to her Mom safely. As she got to the top step, she turned and gave me the saddest face. Then she ran off.

I stood up and stared in her direction for a few moments more. I spotted her puffy blue tutu right by a woman, who looked very stern.

"Hey there!"

I didn't even blink as Mia stepped into my field of vision. Her white tail swished with delight.

"What're you doing, stranger?" She asked with playfulness.

"Saving the world." I replied. My tone had been one of amusement, but the meaning was all but a joke. If only she picked up on that.

Another fox with gold fur waved excitedly behind my best friend. Her violet eyes were very similar to Mia's, but not quite as bright. She bounced up next to us with an awkward grin.

"Hey Emma!" She greeted. Her visage, much like Chloe's, was extremely contagious. I couldn't stop myself from waving back and hugging her. Mia's older sister scooted back without her friendly demeanor fading. She was in Rose's grade, and they often spoke to each other. But my sister had bratty friends and was often a snobby teen herself.

"What's up, Jay?" I asked. Jay and Mia filled me in on their latest family news and theories. Unlike me, their parents had been together through all odds. That included six kids, several hospital trips, and the one time Jay tried becoming a ninja. Their entire family came to the game, and I was able to greet each member. One of their sisters, Rachael, was a good friend of my dad's.

"How's Tyler and Joe?" She asked. I shifted in my spot with clear awkwardness. Jay and Mia were too busy bantering with each other to save me from this one. I gulped as I managed to respond.

"I don't know, ma'am." I told her quietly. I don't think she got the hint. She whipped out her phone and showed me their latest posted photo. It was officially the weirdest selfie ever. But I smiled genuinely when I saw it. My dad had his arm wrapped around Tyler's neck, his blue and black quills hanging over his face and shadowing his grin. Tyler had baby blue quills that stuck out in one strange hairdo. His silver eyes almost popped out of his head as Dad squeezed the life out of him. Both had band tees on, probably coming from their latest show.

As Rachael put her phone up, I had to excuse myself from the scene. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I did my best to force them back. I was not going to cry at a football game. I repeated that thought in my head over and over in hopes of not bawling. Luckily I dried up before Jay and Mia were back. The façade didn't fool my best friend for a second.

"Are you okay?" Her voice was laced with concern. I felt guilty for being upset at what was supposed to be a great time. I brought up a smile in a flash.

"Yeah. My breathing's just acting up." I motioned to the parents smoking by the stands. It wasn't completely a lie. Although the principal had specifically stated that under no circumstance was there to be cigarettes in the stadium, some adults brought them in anyway. It surprised me no juvenile delinquents were dragging them out behind the bleachers. If they had guts enough to prank an entire school, then they should've been brave enough to light one after hours.

Mia bought it and directed me away from the rude fans. Jay followed us, but I didn't mind. She wasn't so bad. Not like Rose, anyway. My best friend mindlessly mothered me, repeating the same speech everyone else gave me when I had an attack. Guilt pressed deep into my system. I shouldn't have lied to her. We used to tell each other everything. Now it seemed I was keeping secrets from everyone.

Later on, at about half time, we ended up walking around the field just for the heck of it. Jay had finally built up the courage to hang out with my sister and her friends, although why in God's name she'd want to do that is beyond me. Mia and I spotted many kids from our grade. Greeting them wasn't so bad. It was after we said hello that was agony. Each person we waved to seemed to think we wanted to start an actual conversation. Mia would say hi to someone, they'd come up to us, and I'd finally drag my fox friend away after five minutes of chatting. I did feel bad for making her stay by my side. There were probably others she wanted to hang out with. After all, I was just that outcast who walked at the edges of the fence and didn't talk to anyone. I wasn't antisocial. I just had no desire to communicate with anyone from our moronic society.

"I'm sorry for being a loner." I finally apologized. She gave me a funny look and laughed.

"Don't be. I hate socializing."

I gaped at her reply.

"So all those people you talked to...?"

"All I wanted was to say hi! Ya know...so I'm not invisible."

"But then you talk to them forever!"

"Yeah. Which is why we're friends. You pull me out of awkward situations like that."

I chuckled at that. Sure she was weird.

But she was the best kind of weird.


	18. Chapter 18

An odd feeling of anticipation coursed through my veins. Fall break was finally here. The leaves in the park were dappled with oranges, reds, yellows, and many other colors. Some showered down upon me and Rose. I closed my eyes and allowed the peaceful mood to seep into me. Days like this couldn't be topped.

"You are so weird." Rose snickered beside me. Despite her comment, I found myself grinning from ear to ear. The night before when we came home, Mom had said she was allowing one day at our Nan's. Dad was stopping there for a quick visit. Our bags rested on the ground not too far from Rose's feet. Neither of us were able to contain the excitement that pulsed inside is. We paced back and forth in our spot. Nan had texted that she would pick us up at the park.

"I wonder if Tessie remembers me..." Rose drifted off thoughtfully. I rolled my eyes. Tessie had been Rose's friend and neighbor back when we were allowed to stay every weekend. At least she could bug someone besides me.

After what felt like eternity, the white SUV pulled up. It's gleaming color seemed more like a beacon of hope than a vehicle. The brownish hedgehog in the driver's seat rolled the window down and smiled. Rose and I grabbed our bags and sprinted to our doors.

"Hey girls!" Nan greeted sweetly. I took my place in the back seat, muttering a hello. Good bye Station Square. For one night I could be free. The wretched grasp of sadness and worry released it's hold as we pulled away. I relaxed in my seat. All negative thoughts drifted away, leaving me to my comfort. At least, that's how it should've been.

The feeling didn't last long. Rose immediately threw questions at our Nan about Dad's new girl. No matter the amount of glares I sent at her, she wouldn't shut up. This was suppose to be a vacation, not a chance to gossip. Nan seemed uneased by the sudden change in conversation as well. Her gaze morphed into one of disturbance.

"I don't like her." She admitted," He's not allowed to bring her to the house."

I blocked their chatter after that sentence. Instead, I pulled out my headphones and blasted whatever song first popped up. It just so happened to be "Just Breath". The irony of the situation caused me to laugh with bitterness. My stomach knotted itself up in tangled fat beyond repair. When would this cycle end?

The house laid somewhere in the distant countryside, up atop a small mountain range. Clean air filled my lungs once I stepped out. A large barn loomed down a gravel road, millions of hills and forests past that. This was where I first discovered my abilities. I knew every rabbit hole, tree stump, and squirrel on that land. Even when everyone else warned me not to go, I found a way to sneak back behind the barn.

"I bet you're excited." Nan stated. I turned to her with a slight blush. My thoughts must've been obvious. Rose sent me one glare before hustling into the house. She didn't like me going on secret adventures. Maybe it was from jealousy or concerns. Her claim had been she didn't like me worrying our grandparents.

"Is Dad here?" I asked. Nan sighed and shook her head, much to my dismay.

"I'm afraid he won't be back until tonight. But Tyler should be arriving soon." She added brightly. I grinned and heaved my bags inside. If only soon could be sooner.

After dispatching my things, I changed into a pair of shorts and a worn out t-shirt. Rose eyed my attire with disdain from her spot on the couch. Thankfully she chose to keep her mouth clamped shut.

"Be careful!" Nan called to me. I yelled back my reply and dashed out the door. The distance between the house and the barn was no more than fifty yards, which was practically a walking distance for me. I hopped over the fence and gave a burst of speed. Trees flew by in a green blur. What I would give to never go home.


	19. Chapter 19

5:30 pm, October 10th

ALERT: Six year old Henry McCoy missing for twelve hours. Last seen in Twilight Park. The calf is believed to be held hostage by forty two year old Isaac Welsh, aka West Wild Hog. Henry is assumed to be in critical danger. Please be wary."

5:35 pm, October 10th

Amy: "Did you get the alert?"

Emma: "Yeah. Some people are so sick."

Amy: "Tails thinks he knows where Henry is."

Emma: "What? How??"

Amy: "He spotted him while riding on the Tornado."

Emma: "...you have got to be kidding me. He found him?"

Amy: "Yep."

Emma: "Just like that?"

Amy: "Emma, we're wasting time!"

Emma: "What in God's name are you talking about?"

Amy: "Can you grab Henry? Tails can take him to the police afterwards."

Emma: "..."

Amy: "Please? It'll be just like training. I just can't stand to think of the poor little boy fighting for his life.."

Emma: "Then why don't you go save him?"

Amy: "Because I'm still in Station Square, and WWH has Henry near Eggman's old base in Green Hill."

Emma: "WWH?"

Amy: "EMMA!!"

Emma: "Chill!! I just want to know all the facts before I throw myself in danger."

Amy: "We're wasting time! Just follow the coordinates Tails sends you!"

Emma: "Who is WWH??"

Amy: "West Wild Hog!!!!"

Emma: "See? Now was that hard?"

Amy: "Get going before I come find you myself!"

Emma: "Yes ma'am!!!"

5:37 pm, October 10th

Getting to Henry and his captor was difficult for a number of reasons. One was that I wasn't given the coordinates until twenty seconds after Amy hung up. The other was I was thousands of miles away from their location. I knew I was fast. That being said, I didn't know if I was fast enough. Sonic was literally the king of speed. Not even I could beat him. What if I couldn't make it in time?

I had to push all those thoughts aside and focus on making it. My lungs burned and my legs cramped as I gained speed. The sensation was unfamiliar to me, and for once I could understand why everyone else complained in gym. I paused at the top of a ridge not too far from where the red dot blinked on the map on my phone. I peered around, straining to find the young calf. It wasn't long until I caught glimpses of his dark form tripping through the fields.

I swiped on my phone till the calling screen appeared. It beeped twice before Tails picked up.

"I have Henry in sight."

"That's great!"

"Do we have a game plan?"

"Not exactly. Just get Henry away from WWH until we can grab him."

"Roger that."

I mentally groaned at the thought of confronting a kidnapper. There was a possibility that this man would attack me instead of the other way around. I waited a few seconds more before targeting the large hog stumbling behind the calf. It took me two seconds to aim. It took me four to curl and power up. But it only took a quarter of a second to smash into WWH.

His bulky form fell beneath me as I crashed into his side. He landed with a large thump, leaving me to tuck and roll a few feet away. The hog pushed himself onto his feet until he towered over me. He sneered at my small size, fury glinting in his beady eyes.

"What do you think you're doing, kid?" He snapped. I blinked, searching for the right words. It still surprised me that I could over take this man without much effort.

"Uh...funny story." I gave a sheepish grin," I was kinda just running by here and then I saw you chasing someone and decided to knock you over."

He snorted at my bluntness, but his intimidation didn't waver.

"Just what I need." He muttered. He reached out swiftly grab me, but I dodged to the side.

"Right. Well I really need to be going." I said. WWH raised an eyebrow but made no attempt to stop me. I hesitated, wondering if maybe the authorities got it all wrong. But then again, that kid had been running rather desperately...

My phone sprang to life at that moment. The hog used my moment of distraction to come in for a grab. I swerved to the side and twisted for a strong kick. It hurt like crazy, but I managed to use one more spinballing to send the hog crashing down. This time when he fell, he didn't bother to get back up.

I answered my phone, feeling quite breathless.

"Phew! For a second there you had me worried!" Tails's voice squeaked through. I smiled slightly.

"Are you kidding? This bulky blob couldn't catch a snail!" I exclaimed.

"What'd ya do to him?" He asked. I shrugged, fully knowing the kitsune couldn't see.

"I think I knocked him out." I said.

"Oh. I've got Henry. What should we do with Isaac?"

I bit my lip. That was the tough part. Obviously we couldn't let him roam the streets. Jail seemed fit for him. But we couldn't carry him on the plane with Henry in board.

"Drop the boy off at the station. Then swing back around and take bozo here to the nearest joint."

"Got it!"

The phone signaled that the conversation. I had this strange feeling Tails already had been heading for the police station before calling me. I hadn't heard his biplane hum since arriving. More than likely he wanted me to start thinking like a leader. I just hoped I was ready to be one.


	20. Chapter 20

_**(For anyone who doesn't know the song in the end, it's "45" by Shinedown. Real good song right there. If you do know it, then good for you!)**_

Morning came faster than I expected. I woke up with blurry eyes and glanced at my phone. 5:58. I was so used to Lady, my chao, waking me up at six that sleeping late was no longer an option. The house was still and quiet. Being Fall, the sunlight wouldn't peek over the horizon for another hour. With this in mind and sleep far from my grasp, I plugged in my earphones and cranked up some good ole Maroon 5.

The line between reality and fantasy blurred until I zoned out farther than planned. Usually when I slipped away, it would take thirty minutes of someone calling my name and pushing me before I came back. Even then, the after effects clung to me and I would be tired for another three hours at least.

This time, though, all it took was hearing his voice. My brother hadn't came home the night before as Nan had told me. He had stayed with the band to ensure their safety home. Now his voice rang loud and clear, despite my ongoing blare of music. I tossed my phone and buds on the side and practically flew out of bed. Rose's bed was empty, meaning she slipped away while I was zoned out.

His voice grew louder as I rounded the hallway. When I did spy his baby blue quills, his back was turned to me. Rose stood in front of him, a tightness in the atmosphere that shouldn't have existed.

"Where's Emma?" He asked. I rushed to reply before she could, frightened of a regrettable answer.

"Right here."

Tyler turned to face me, his silver eyes lighting up immediately. He picked me up and hugged me, swinging me around with gleeful laughs while I held on for dear life. We'd always been close. Even when we were millions of miles apart. He was always sure to text me on holidays and other important dates. We'd pull up a video chat on days I could manage to be alone. But this past year had made us grown further from each other than ever before.

My brother finally set me down with a grin glued to his face.

"Damn you've grown up." He said. Rose coughed behind him, muttering about his choice of words.

"No cussing!!" Nan called from the kitchen. We chuckled, remembering when home was always this way. Rose was still stiff, her awkwardness apparent.

"Have you met Dad's girlfriend?" She asked. I immediately scowled with anger. She couldn't let it go. Not once. Luckily, Tyler completely brushed off her question and dragged me away.

"Come on, Speedy!"

I stumbled at the mention of the old nickname. He hadn't called me that since...

I pushed away the memory and made quicker steps.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he lead me outside. We approached one of the four tool sheds that sat by the travel road heading for the barn. One of them was completely empty, last I saw it. That was the one we came to. It was no longer empty, instead filled with sound equipment and instruments. Tyler hopped on top of the makeshift stage and pulled up his guitar.

"Been a while since you've played." He noted, engrossed in tuning. I shuffled in my spot, picking up what he was insinuating at.

"I can't. Not anymore." I frowned,"I think I forgot how."

"You can't forget. When you do something in repetition, you permanently engrave that practice in your memory." He stated, strumming a few short chords. I blinked in surprise. Albeit he was three years older than me, I hadn't expected him to know so much. Especially with him not going to school.

"Even people with any sort of memory loss condition can recall things they used to do over and over again. Remember Great Uncle Hue and his duck calls? Even when he had Alzheimer's, he could still do those. So forgetting is not an acceptable excuse." He continued. The shock subsided quickly, replaced by my usual cockiness.

"When did you get smarter than me?" I teased. He paused with his playing and looked up at me with a smirk.

"Since Aunt Tara started teaching me. Doesn't matter what excuse I throw at her, she's always gotta smart comment under her sleeve."

I smiled, recalling dad's sister with fondness. Back before we moved, she gave me and Rose singing lessons. She tried teaching us both how to play an instrument. Rose picked piano. I tried that, but found it tedious. So I moved to guitar instead. The entire side of my dad's family was musically inclined. So was my mom. That's how she met Dad. Backstage at one of his first concerts. Pretty romantic. If only it lasted.

Tyler broke me from my thoughts by bending down with an outstretched hand. I shook my head at it.

"Nope, nope, nopety nope!" I back away. He pouted.

"Come on, Speedy. Please?"

Again with the nickname. I wasn't sure what was about it that made my nerves shot. But I was more confused as to why he was calling me that years later. Despite my moment of hesitation, I allowed him to pull me onstage. He grinned and pushed the mic to me.

"All right! I'll play a tune, you sing the lyrics."

"What if I don't know the words?"

"Then make something up."

I sighed and clutched the mic. This was going to be hectic.

He started playing, the notes ringing with an odd familiarity. Even if it was only the chorus, the beat calmed me subtly. I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths. Here goes nothing.

"I'm staring down the barrel of a forty five! Swimming through the ashes of another life!"

Tyler joined in on the rest, attempting to harmonize with my rusty voice.

"No real reason to accept the way things have changed, staring down the barrel of a forty five!!!"

My voice cracked, but while I flinched, he kept singing. God it was beautiful. For once, between my screeches and his talent, everything was perfect. And there wasn't a thing in the world that could change that.


	21. Chapter 21

Had I known home would be as painful as it had been the rest of the break, I would've never returned. I sat somewhere at the back of the school, where a clear view of the vacant football field spread out before me. Eventually, Lady found me blaring more Shinedown in my head. She knelt down beside me, forcing me to meet her brown eyes. The atmosphere felt more relaxed as we spoke, me telling her every detail of the day before. She was just like Aunt Tara that way. Sure, this young wolf may have been adopted. But I don't think that stopped her from striving to be just like her given parents. She had the feel of someone beyond her years. I hated confiding with her, as her situation was worse than mine. But it all poured out before I could catch it.

I had the weirdest feeling when entering the house. An emotion so close to foreboding that I almost dashed right back out. When I turned the corner into the kitchen, my fears were instantly forgotten. Mom stood there with a bright smile and our two chaos spinning excitedly in the air. I caught a white and orange patched one, Dapple, who attacked me in the smallest bear hug. Rose was also grinning from ear to ear, much to my surprise. Then again, she was always happiest near Mom.

She had told us about her sister getting married, which was a big deal considering there were zilch echidnas left on Möbius. The lucky husband was a large porcupine named Charlie, a nice hospital nurse that worked with my mom. The couple ultimately decided a wedding on the beach, and we were all going. It was next week, and Mom had to work on most days until that due date. Therefore, it was decided we would pack then.

All went fine. Dapple helped me pack my bag and Rose proved to have an expert eye when it came to outfits. Which was good, since I had no fashion sense. Afterwards, we cleaned up the mess that had been left behind. I thought all would be well. I wondered if maybe I was overreacting. Then Mom yelled at us to come into the living room.

I wasn't sure what had happened. A DVD was in her hand, and her eyes were ablaze with fury. She told us it was one of her work out videos. She yelled that she barely spent any money on herself, and that this was one of the few luxuries she had. It took a moment before I realized it had been left out. The last time that happened, it had been over a year ago. I had sworn to never upset her like that again. That meant Rose had to have done it.

Mom continued on with her rant, almost screaming at us. My feet were glued to the floor and my eyes were stuck on her angry form. Disappointment seeped into me. What I was upset about wasn't clear at the time. Then she broke down. Tears streamed from her eyes with a helplessness I'd only seen a few times. She admitted she didn't think we cared for her. She didn't believe we respected her. As she left, I glared at Rose. Mom didn't deserve the pain she was going through.

But Rose was just as confused as I was. She thought I was the one who pulled the disk out. Then it hit us. She was the only one who had been here all week. She had left it out and hadn't remembered. The gravity of the moment fell on me with a force I couldn't hold up. The emptiness took over, covering me until the numbness had spread to every part of me. Mom had finally broke. Her mind would never be the same. Now I knew. I knew without a strand of doubt. And I couldn't help but think it was all my fault.

"Don't say that." Lady whispered softly, rubbing my shoulders. I held my head in my hands, shaking my head.

"It is. Dear Chaos, it is."

"How? Give me one example."

I opened my mouth to answer, but choked it down. No one could ever know what happened. When Mom found out about my lies and secrets.

"Why would you say that?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, you must've! You don't just say things like that without a reason!"

"..."

"Do you realize saying that could take you away from me? Could send me to prison?"

"..no."

I hugged myself, felt the tears threatening to spill behind my eyes. Lady tried her best to pick up the shattered pieces, but what she didn't know was that I was no longer repairable. All she could do was help paint on another mask.


	22. Chapter 22

Anatomy was my last class of the day. Mia and Micheal were there. All day, they knew I was upset. Deep inside where I buried all that hurt. But I told them it was exhaustion. Micheal pushed further, but I shut him down. I felt terrible for being so rude, so snappy towards them. That's not how I usually acted.

When seventh period finally arrived, I wasn't sure to be relieved or anxious. I didn't want to go home, but at the same time, I didn't want to stay at school. I was half hoping one of the gang would text me, but not one person had bothered to contact me after the mission. Not even Rouge. I was praying deep down that they hadn't abandoned me. That was the last thing I needed.

Then, when the class was half way through, ole Eggy himself had to pop up.

The window in the lab crashed, starting take two of his attempt to bring Sonic back. The bot whirled and sputtered with sparks. At the sight of the enemy, the class poured out into the halls. I stayed behind, grabbing a stool and hurling it. It knocked the walking trash can off balance, but it jumped back up as if nothing happened.

"Why can't you just stay dead??" I whined. I was flustered when a book flew mere inches past my head and hit it. I turned, finding my best friend with a glare. That was more terrifying than all my experiences combined. Mia was never angry. Ever. She strongly dislike violence, because she also didn't believe in hating anything. That's how soft she was.

I scooted to the side quickly as she barged past me and bashed the robot repeatedly until she was sure it wouldn't get up. We met each other's gazes, and gave a nod. She did it to protect me. Nothing made her mad, except those closest to her being attacked or getting hurt.

We were both startled when yet another bot crashed in, this time landing on top of her. Without thinking, I curled up and slammed into it's side. When I stood back up, I found Mia lying right in between the two halves of my former target. It shocked both of us. I had never been able to cut them with a clean shot. Guess I had more potential than I believed.

"Y-you, you just..." She stammered, slipping as she tried to stand up. I helped her to her feet with slight amusement.

"You can thank me later." I grinned," Right now, there's an entire city swarmed with metal blockheads and a depressed scientist that needs stopped. Are you with me?"

She blinked, unable to contain all that was just revealed. But then she gave a determined nod. More crashes were heard from outside. It was time for some real action. We jumped out of the broken windows and took in our surroundings. There weren't as many as last time. Only four littered this street. What was the point of this attack? It was too small to be much of a threat.

That's why I let Mia fight. Had it been something else, I probably would've bolted her in a room made of steel to keep her from escaping. But technically the city could fight this nuisance without my help.

I raced up to one of the bots and kicked it high into oblivion. I barely stopped to watch before spin balling into the next one. Mia had a good hit on the third one, leaving me to deal with the last one. It didn't take long to clear the street. Mia bounced up and down with a light in her eyes.

"That was amazing!! You should've told me about this sooner!" She grinned. I paused in my tracks. She knew my secret now. Things just might've got a tad more complicated.

A grey blur flew past us before I could give her a proper response. The force of its passing knocked me to the ground. Mia pulled me back up, staring at the way the object went.

"Duty calls." I sighed.

"Wait." She stopped me," You mean, you're going after that thing?"

I shrugged at her. Wasn't it obvious? 'Course I was! I was the fricking new hero, after all! Well...I almost was.

"I've all this town's got." I told her.

"But what about Sonic's friends?" She pushed. I knew she didn't want me to do anything stupid, which was frankly a bad habit of mine. But it still irked me that she didn't think I could handle Eggbutt.

"Guess I could notify them." I finally agreed. She creased her eyebrows in confusion as I whipped out my phone. Amy's name popped up in my head first. She did live locally. She'd be the one to reach here fastest.

"Where are you??" She yelled as she picked up. I rolled my eyes.

"What? No how'd your break go? No proper hello? I mean, come on, Amy!" I faked exasperation.

"It would be fantastic if you could get here."

"Yeah. Problem. Where is here, exactly?"

I smiled faintly as she groaned.

"Center of the town. Where else??"

I chuckled, hanging up as some explosions went off. Mia was baffled. I smirked at her.

"Get ready to run!" I exclaimed. Before she could reply, I had her arm in hand and was dragging her at sonic speed.

Eggman was in one of his annoying hovercrafts. I couldn't tell what he was going on about from his rear, but I could see from Amy's face that it was nothing important. She was leaning against her hammer with the most agitated look I've ever seen. Mia scowled beside me. She never like Amy.

"You stay here." I told her," I have some scores to settle."

For once, I was telling the truth. I didn't appreciate being called a pesky rodent. I dashed around his bulky mobile till I was standing beside Amy. He stopped his a speech, perplexed for a moment. Then it dawned on him.

"What are you doing here? This isn't your fight." He snapped.

"She's part of the team, now." Amy stated. He huffed and gave her a tsk.

"Amy, Amy, Amy. We both know she could never replace Sonic. Her speed may be impeccable and she does have a sort of wit about her, but her becoming my next arch rival is about as possible as Orbit and Cubot doing something useful."

I was glad his two henchbot were nowhere to be seen. I was sure they'd be crushed.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your assumptions of me are wrong." I glared at him. He scoffed.

"Fine. Prove to me you could compare to Sonic."

I huffed and blew my bangs out of my eyes. This was growing increasingly frustrating.

"I mean, I'm not here to replace Sonic, as you all seem to think." I said. He raised an eyebrow, and Amy gave me a look etched with incredulous.

"I just happen to be fast. I get that. But I'm only here till Blue Boy shows back up. When that happens, he can take back his spotlight." I glared as I continued," But until then, you'll have to deal with me if you think you can mess with my home."

Eggman leaned back in his chair. I couldn't tell what he was thinking through those dark glasses of his. Hopefully it was somewhere along the lines of thoughtfulness. Finally, he straightened up and turned his hovercraft. Mia had hidden herself down one of the closest alleys, watching us with amazement.

"Fine. But you better know what you're getting into before it's too late to get out." He tossed over his shoulder. I gave a smug smirk.

"Don't worry bout me, Eggy. Getting out of things fast is kinda my specialty."


	23. Chapter 23

The pink clock on the far wall of the living room read 3:15. Mia's parents would be expecting her home soon, not to mention Jay must've been freaking out. The white fox had bubbled over with millions of questions, ranging from important things like how long I'd been hiding from her, to trivial matters like wanting know about Dapple.

I was surefire to answer, careful to avoid mentions of my family or my problems. Amy was listening carefully, quick to correct me on certain parts. Mia was polite to the pink hedgie, but that's as far as it went. She was always too shy to voice her actual opinions, afraid of hurting others with them.

"So you're the new Sonic." She summed up after I finished.

"No!" Amy and I said together. I was flustered that people were still calling me things like that. As for Amy, I doubted she wanted to believe I was replacing Sonic. And who could blame her? I didn't want to replace him. I couldn't take the strain.

"Okay, okay, chill!" Mia stated. I sighed and fell back against Amy's couch. I peered up at the heroine with a raised eyebrow.

"So, mind explaining why I haven't heard from you guys?" I asked. She brightened at that.

"Tails flew up to Angel Island to get Knuckles. We've been waiting for them to come back." She answered. Nervousness clutched my stomach with its icy grip, but I did my best to fight it back. No way was I backing down. Not after coming this far.

"What happens when the gang gets back together?" Mia asked. Amy and I glanced at each other, thinking the same thing.

"The hardest part." I replied," We wait."

After making Mia swear on her life that she'd never tell a soul about my secret, we parted ways and continued our lives. Mom had to work tonight, again. The bright side being the stay at Granny's.

Rose and I shared a bed along with Dapple and Tramp, our two chaos. Tramp had this obsession towards anyone who was willing to give him attention, so he slept near either one of us, depending on who gave him more loving. Dapple cuddled with me no matter the circumstances.

As usual, Rose had been texting on her phone between seven and passing out. Only when she dozed off, the person she'd been talking too was still messaging. I couldn't even try to sleep. Her phone kept lighting up and beeping. It didn't take me long to finally snap.

I always ignored the name. All her friends knew I was different...a pessimistic psychopath if you will. And many wished I was their sibling. They were also used to my sarcastic remarks. That's why I didn't hesitate to send " For the love of Chaos and everything on Möbius, please SHUT UP".

If only I'd read the name.

The mystery person was Leon. Of all people, she just had to be texting Leon.

"What did i do" had been his reply. For a while, I just stared blankly at her screen. Why in God's name was she talking to him? I did a little research. Went through her past texts that she obviously didn't care to delete. Turned out, she was playing cupid. She was going to set me up with him. Or trying to, at least.

"It's Emma. I'm tired." I finally answered.

"That's your problem."

Actually, my problem was that he existed. But I didn't want to say that unless drastic measures were needed. I may be a jerk, but I'm no stranger to common courtesy.

"Look, Rose is asleep and I really don't feel like wasting my night texting you. So go to sleep."

I dropped the phone to the ground and sighed. Guys weren't worth the trouble. I didn't want a relationship, anyway. Especially not with that moron. Rose was probably scared I'd run back to Ash. She never liked him, and even called him Trash Boy every time they crossed paths.

Sleep was finally mere moments from me, slipping over my form until I was on the brink of unconsciousness...

...and then the phone beeped again.


	24. Chapter 24

Honors English is the hardest class. Not science, not math. English. Mr. Welder had made it his personal goal to turn us all into semi decent writers before we graduated, and even though that day was an eternity ahead, he already had us writing papers and paragraphs. On this particular day, he chose a group exercise. It was a rare thing in his class. I ended up with Chloe and Mia, who thankfully mentioned nothing about the events of yesterday. Our assignment was to write a descriptive paragraph about a meat ball sub.

It wasn't so bad. Ridiculous, but not complicated. Food was my thing. But Chloe wouldn't get her head out of the gutter and caused us all to laugh the entire period. We got to the word "succulent" at the end of the paragraph, so close to freedom, and she flat out died.

"I hate that word." She grimaced as I said it.

"Why?" Mia asked.

"It doesn't sound right." She complained. I smirked, ready to hit her with a few minor annoyances.

"Like moist?" I asked. She made a face and groaned.

"Emma. No." She whined.

"Suck-you-lent." I teased. She faceplanted on the table, muttering how she was literally going to kill herself. Mia sweat dropped when I busted out laughing, causing Mr. Welder to fix his amused stare at us. In fact, the entire class subtly snickered at our group. I couldn't blame them. I just kept giggling like an idiot.

I was shocked to find Rouge standing outside when school ended. She should've had more important things to do besides tracking a bratty teen.

"Long time, no see, eh pinky?" She asked. I grinned, for once happy to see her.

"You got that right batgirl. What are you doing on this side of town? Taking a break from the pole?" I smirked. She feigned hurt, fake huffing for half a moment. It was instantly replaced with her usual demeanor.

"I'm here to take you to Cream's. There's someone who wants to meet ya."

I sighed and started walking alongside her.

"Don't tell me. It's Knuckles, right?" I asked.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" She chuckled. When we were farther from the crowds and busy streets, I was able to run. We chatted about a few things. My past couple of missions, school. It wasn't long till we reached the Rabbits' house. Like the last time I came, Tails's biplane sat outside.

We walked through the door with ease, making me realize how at home I'd become here. Amy and Cream were playing on the floor, each waving as I stepped in. Tails sat at the table with a red echidna by his side. The stranger's arms were crossed, an uninterested visage etched on his face. Then his purple eyes landed on Rouge, and something between intrigue and suspicion flashed in them.

"Rouge?" His deep voice asked. She smirked.

"How's it going, Knuckie?"

Knuckie? From the reaction of Knuckles, I could guess he wasn't too thrilled with the nickname.

"The emeralds are fine, if thats what you're insinuating." He glared.

"Well, it's not like I can swoop down by your precious island for regular visits anymore. Not with Blue gone." She added.

Knuckles grunted, a hint of sadness within his gaze.

"Don't worry, Mr. Knuckles!" Cream encouraged up at him," Now that Miss Emma is here, we'll find Sonic soon!"

I blinked down at her, oblivious to Knuckles sudden glance my way. This little kid had a lot of faith in me. From the hopeful stares from other members of the group, I could tell more than one thought the same thing.

Knuckles, on the other hand, looked more than uninterested in my being there.

"I'm not worried." He stated," Sonic knew what he was doing, whatever it was."

"Why isn't he back, then?" Amy asked, a challenging tone hidden in her voice. Knuckles didn't pick it up, instead shrugged and closed his eyes.

"Probably taking his sweet time. Or he could be having other issues. Like when he turned into a werewolf."

"Werehog, Knuckles." Tails corrected," But you do make a good point. There's been a lot of times when he had a problem and felt like he couldn't come to us."

"Yeah...but for a year?" Amy asked.

While their conversation was running, I was standing by Rouge, quite confused at what the heck they were babbling about. What was a werehog?

"It's not like he hasn't done this before." Knuckles said," I'm sure one day he'll pop back up and act like nothing happened."

Amy didn't seem so sure.

"But until then, G.U.N. has hired a recruit to-" Rouge was cut off by Knuckles standing up quickly.

"Why does G.U.N. have to be involved?" He snapped," We can take care of Eggman just fine by ourselves."

This was the point I knew I had to jump in. While being silent had always been what I did best in situations like these, I'd had enough with the arguing.

"Right." I butted in," So the Egghead attack from last week. You totally had that under control."

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Sorry, it's not like I can spot attacks here from a floating island. I thought Tails and Amy could handle things I until word reached me."

"Your plan had a few holes in it." I glared.

"Guys, please don't fight!" Cream whimpered, hugging Cheese. I blinked down at the young rabbit. Kid had guts. That was for sure.

"Fine. But we're not through discussing this." Knuckles narrowed his eyes at me. I met his glare with one of my own. Guess it was too much to hope for the entire team to get along with me.


	25. Chapter 25

The week flew by in a blur, a feeling I was increasingly getting used to. The day came for us to finish our packing, and with it, a decision. During the month of March, we had bought two small rabbits. There was a market in Station Square that came after every Eggman attack, selling spare parts and dazed animals collected from the rubble. That's were Clover and Moon came from, our two bunnies. But then Mom adopted Dapple and Tramp, and our former pets were pushed to the side.

We could let someone come and feed the rabbits while we were at the beach, since only the chaos could come...or I could set them free. My ultimate decision was to let them go were Granny took me for runs. It wasn't like I was ever home to take care of them, beside driving down to my house to feed and water them. And that still wasn't enough, as they soon turned bone thin. I always felt guilty watching them. To add on to that, I was the only being who took care of them anymore. Mom saw them as a waste of money, and Rose hardly noticed them.

I told Granny my decision. She wasn't so sure about it at first. She thought they would be better in a different home. I insisted this would be better. Moon and Clover were no longer friendly little animals. Being cooped up in a cage so long turned them agitated.

She came with me to give them their last meal, watched me as I told them good night for the last time. From a distance, they looked like healthy rabbits. I showed her how skinny they were, and she finally agreed. Distraught was still boiling in me. Could I go through with it? I may have not been the best owner, but I still cared for them and loved them.

Granny found a pet carrier in her attic, and I knew there was no going back. This was the right thing to do.

Before I went to bed, she told me Poppy offered to do it. I shook my head, told her I didn't want to be a bother.

"You're not a bother, Emma." She sighed with exasperation," But the thing is, you are going to cry."

I gulped and looked away, shame creeping up on me. I told myself I was done crying.

"Why would you cry?" Rose asked once I entered the room. I told her I raised them. That it would hurt to set them free.

"So?" She replied," I cared for them, too! I gave them kisses every morning!"

There were so many holes in that lie that I almost spinballed into her. For one, she hadn't stepped foot near those rabbits since Tramp waltzed into her life. Two, she was almost never at the house in the mornings, so how could she kiss them? The third and final reason would be that of she had done what she said, they wouldn't have been so wild.

So now here I was, pet carrier in hand, in the middle of the woods with Granny. Clover and Moon shifted in the bag, unused to being carried in such a strange item. I kneeled down and unzipped the side, scooping each one out onto the forest floor. Long ago, their fur was white and glossy. Now each had yellowish fur, with haunches and ribs jutting out. They were stiff, at first. Their grey eyes scanned the territory with fright. Then Moon, my rabbit, hopped over to one of the green plants and started nibbling on it. It wasn't long before Clover was doing the same thing.

"They'll be happy here." I heard Granny assure. I smiled as the two explored the landscape, oblivious to my presence. Tears threatened to spill as I realized I might not ever see them again.

"One day, we might come back and visit." Granny said. I gulped down the rising bile in my throat and stood up. Even if we did come to see them, they might run. I picked up the pet carrier and plastered on a smile. When we were sure the rabbits wouldn't follow us, we snuck out of the woods and hopped in the truck. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted two squirrels racing around the treetops.

"Squirrels are good." Granny encouraged," If squirrels can live here, so can the rabbits."

I grunted in agreement. Then I thanked her for taking me.

"Don't thank me. I couldn't let you come out here and make you do this by yourself."


	26. Chapter 26

It took a total of four vehicles to carry our family to the beach- and that didn't include my aunt and uncle who were coming the next day. Five chaos bunked with us in the house we rented with Granny. Dapple and Tramp didn't seem to mind, but Granny's older three were snappy around so many people. The ride was six hours, which I didn't mind so much. We left at eight or nine at night and didn't reach our destination till almost two o clock. It wasn't much of a bother to me, considering the fact my insomnia kept me up this late anyway. But when Mom cranked up Queen and Maroon 5 for a singing sessions...that was the point I had to plug in my earbuds.

Rose and Mom bonded the whole trip, "arguing" over opinions on rock songs. Rose hates rock. That was half of what they listened to, though. Dapple sat in my lap and stared out the car window with wide eyes. Street lights flew by like bright yellow stars. While I had never been a fan of architecture arts, even I couldn't help but admire the city as it was lit up in the night.

All my friends were worried sick that I hadn't come to school. I told them all I was ill with the flu, except Mia. I felt like she deserved to know more than anyone. I also knew that it would be a test of sorts. I never got the flu. I was immune to some viruses and I'd never had to have a shot. If these dorks were my real friends, they'd remember that.

Rose and I shared a bed with Dapple and Tramp. The small chaos flew around the room with excitement.

"You like it?" I asked, plopping my bag in the closet floor. Dapple cooed with her eyes closed and Tramp fell on the bed, already passed out.

"I don't." Rose wrinkled her muzzle in disgust. I rolled my eyes, watching with slight amusement as she picked at our comforter. I fell by Tramp, snuggling deep into the covers.

"I'm not sleeping, just to let you know." Rose continued. I opened on eye at her with a sigh.

"I figured so. It's not like I sleep anyways." I muttered. Dapple finally landed on my chest, smiling and playing with my pink quills. Rose huffed and sat down, pulling out her phone and typing away.

I contemplated on texting the gang. It's not like I told them I was leaving. then again, I could always just run over to the battle if something happens. The clock hit four before we were all passed out.

Many things happened those few short days before the wedding. There was a lot of crabbing, which was literally fishing for crabs. A jellyfish decided to wrap it's tentacles around my knee and then left a nasty scar on my hand when I ripped it off. That stung. Dapple and Tramp had a panic attack when we left them in the house and shredded the inside of the door. Mom was pissed off all day after that. To be honest, Mom was upset the entire trip. She always had this glare when I walked by, like the sight of me disappointed her. She pitched fits like never before and practically lost her mind. At one point she even threatened to stab Rose in the eye. Granny tried giving me therapy. Told me 'bout the good ole days on Angel Island when she was a little girl. She and Poppy grew up there, but ran away when they were about my age. Long before the entire race diminished. Her father used to beat her until she bled. He'd always tell her if it was good enough for him when he was young, it was good enough for her. She was mad at him the day we found out about all of them disappearing. She was depressed for years, wondering if he knew she loved him.

It was suppose to be an example for me. Compared to her childhood, I had it made. But that didn't make it any less hurtful. It especially wrenched me when Dad blocked her. She was furious. Claimed he didn't love us anymore, didn't want us in his life.

"She's just upset." Granny had told me," She doesn't hide her hatred for your daddy. She should, but she doesn't."

I almost cried that night. God it sucked. The depression leaked through, harder than ever before. Rose laid beside me, sniffling away her silent tears. Bitterness consumed me. We shouldn't have had to live like this. There was already one emotionally damaged kid in the family. I'd have done anything to make sure my sister didn't turn out the same way. But I knew that was too much to hope for. Things hadn't changed so far. Why would they now?


	27. Chapter 27

The night before the big wedding, there was a small party at our aunt's beach house. Everyone was drinking and laughing. Everyone but me and Rose. People noticed. Complete strangers would attempt to break the ice, concern laced in their voice. Mom didn't even glance our way. Rose eventually left to the top floor to watch the little kids. I snuck out the door for a walk on the beach.

Granny and Poppy caught me at the door. I told them I wasn't in a partyin' mood. Didn't feel like socializing. Granny let me pass, and Poppy gave me a tight squeeze on the shoulder.

The shore was soft and cold, far different from what it felt like during the heat of the day. The waves crashed up against its sandy surface in a hypnotic rhythm, the stars glittering in their dark reflections. I personally never had been a fan of the beach. Too many people could see my legs, which were splotched with cuts and bruises from my runs. Any sane person might've believed I cut myself.

A cool, autumn breeze brushed through my quills. The noises from the get together slowly carried off until I was alone with the ocean and my thoughts. At least, I was alone in my mind.

A dark, shady figure stood on the outskirts of the shoreline. His pointed quills were black with red stripes, making him look like a darkened doppelgänger of Sonic the hedgehog. His arms were crossed, his deep crimson eyes staring out at the deep blue that stretched out for miles and miles. I stopped feet away from him, nervousness creeping under my skin. There was a sense of foreboding that surrounded him. I felt it when Mom lost her head. It never brought good news. I shuffled around him, forcing myself to act natural.

"Are you always this ignorant?" He suddenly spoke. I flinched at his tone, stopping dead in my tracks.

"I heard you from a mile away. Did you think I wouldn't notice your suspicion? If I'd been a real criminal, you'd be dead by now."

I opened my mouth to start a smart retort, but instead huffed and shut it again. This guy had officially placed himself on my hit list.

He turned to face me, a thin line stretched on his mouth.

"So, you're the infamous Emma I've been hearing about." He stated. I was startled for a split second. My name was traveling faster than I would've preferred.

"Guess so." I replied shakily. My attempt was to play it off cool. Thanks to my complete awkwardness, that sure didn't happen.

"I didn't expect you to be so...small." He said. I inwardly face palmed. This wouldn't have been the first time someone teased me about my size. It certainly wouldn't be the last.

"I'm sorry, stranger, but I think I'd rather know who you are before feeling comfortable about you criticizing my appearance." I snapped. He didn't even blink. The stupid turd. Should've spinballed into him. I'm not sure why I didn't.

"You'll have to get used to that if you want to be in the spotlight. People will judge you." He stated bluntly.

"Thanks for the advice." I said sarcastically," Now can I please get a name?"

He paused, looking at me with something akin to deep thought.

"Shadow." He finally answered. Another obvious name.

"Well then, Shadow. Mind explaining why in God's name you came all this way to find me?"

He scowled," Don't be impatient. It'll get you killed in battle."

I was suddenly wishing I hadn't left the party. What was the point of this useless conversation? If it's purpose was to tick me off, then job well done.

"Rouge seems to like you. An accomplishment not easily acquired. I thought I might check up to see what the big deal was about." He frowned," Frankly, I believe she just likes the thought of a female running the town for a little while."

At the bat's name, my worries eased off. He was probably just another G.U.N. agent.

"Is that all? My family's probably getting worried..." I trailed off. Most of them, that is. He looked back out at the ocean, is eyes unreadable.

"Fine. I'll expect to see you in two days." He paused, glancing at me from the corner of his eye," Good night miss Burns."

Taking that as my dismissal, I turned and walked away quickly from the strangest encounter I'd ever have.


	28. Chapter 28

When things go tough out on vacation, there's no option but to plaster on a smile and fake happiness. Exactly what Mom did when it was time for the wedding. Dapple and Tramp had to stay at the house, much to their dismay. The beach wedding wasn't a disaster. I was offered champagne, which I politely declined. "Polite" for me being a heck no.

They did not have one cake, but two. I had a couple of slices from the chocolate one, knowing fully well how much I'd regret it later. I didn't care. I was an absolute chocoholic, one of the few things I inherited from Mother Dear.

We hung out at my aunt's beach house with all the other ding dongs of the family. Hey, crazy likes crazy. It was destined for the two sides of the family to get along. Sure our food amount preferences was different. But when it all came down to it, we weren't that much different from each other.

The photographer there ticked me off a bit. Poppy, being the social butterfly he was, talked up the old man, and then dragged me along to meet him. His name was Don, an old sea captain for an oil tug boat. He's been all over the world apparently. Why I was meeting him was a mystery far beyond my reason of care.

He bragged about going to different countries. I wanted to snap at him. Dad had been a tug boat captain, too, and I knew from that experience that whatever this man was telling me was partial lies. I could remember Dad going between states and maybe to the country that owned his boat, but that was it. Besides, I knew this ole seadog couldn't compare to the places I'd been just by running. I hid my pleased smirk at that, only nodding when necessary. Eventually Poppy noticed my uninterest and left me to my antisocial self.

For the most part I just sat and watched whatever the heck was on TV. There had been one split second where Mom had popped up in between Rose and I and told us how proud she was to have us as her daughters. To anyone else, it would've seemed like we were a close family. Such a shame how humanity was so gullible. I replied with a small smile but made no other attempt to response. I had a bittersweet feeling that this was only for show. She'd be back to being her usual upset self by the next morning. It did help that she'd had a couple of drinks to ease her mood. She wasn't drunk. Just relaxed.

Near the end of the movie, to which was my absolute favorite part, Rose dragged me out of my seat to watch the sunset. I declined at first. I saw the sunset all the time at home. Heck, I was one of the few who still did that as a hobby. Now she wanted to pull me away from my cozy spot on the couch just to glance at it? No. Nu-uh. Wasn't happening. Sadly, she wouldn't allow me to refuse.

She dragged me outside, both of us barefoot, and pulled me onto the beach. The grey clouds swirled in a pretty pattern around an orb of red and orange glow. If I was honest, it was actually very beautiful. But when have I ever been honest?

"You mean to tell me," I started with Dr. Pepper in hand," that you took me out of the warm house where a great movie was playing just to see a ball of fire in the sky??"

"But look at it! It's so cool!!"

"I can see it at home!"

"But it's prettier on the beach!"

"What if it isn't even the sun?? It is hiding behind those clouds!"

"It is the sun."

"How would you know? Do you have super powers? Can you see past the grey smog?"

"Yes."

It hadn't occurred to me at the time that there was a small group on the balcony above watching our little argument with amusement. As I stormed off back through the sand like a clumsy troll, the sound of their laughter reached my ears. I stomped up the stairs and back inside, hoping to catch the last bits of the movie...

...only to find the credit sequence playing.


	29. Chapter 29

Thursday, 4:51 pm

Amy: Hey! Attack on Maple Street! Need backup

Thursday, 4:52 pm

Amy: Hurry!!

Thursday, 5:08 pm

Amy: Where r u?

Amy: Answer!!!

Thursday, 5:14 pm

Tails: Emma, we need help

Tails: Please

Thursday, 5:20 pm

Tyler: Hey about what happened between Mom and Dad...its nothing personal k

Thursday, 5:25 pm

Amy: EMMA

Thursday, 5:27 pm

Rouge: This isn't cool, kid. They need you.

Thursday, 5:28 pm

Tyler: Yo sis u there

Thursday, 5:30 pm

Mia: Where are you?? Eggman's gone nuts!!!

Friday, 9:07 am

Amy: We knocked him out of the city no thanks to you.

Friday, 9:08 am

Rouge: Darn it, Emma. You blew it.

Friday, 9:11 am

Tails: Why aren't you answering?

I stared blankly at my phone for twenty minutes at least. While I should've been catching up on whatever work I had missed for a week, my mind was too preoccupied with all the messages that hadn't gotten to me due to having zero service. I knew I should've texted them. Laziness got the best of me, I guess.

When I walked out of the school that day, a million things were racing through my mind. I had to apologize, had to explain my dilemma. Maybe they would understand. Except, that could've been my one chance to prove I could handle this job. What if I never got another chance? And if I did, would they ever trust me again? What if...what if...

All thoughts stopped to an abrupt halt as I noticed the dark hedgehog from before standing where Rouge would normally greet me. I could faintly recall him saying something about seeing me today. I hadn't realized he'd been that serious.

"About time." He growled as I approached him. My attitude deflated. He was the last person I was hoping to meet. Even Knuckles would've been a better option.

"Sorry." I mumbled. I found I couldn't look him in the eye. The ground was a better distraction than his gaze.

"Come on. The others want to see you. And quit pouting." He scowled, walking away. Immediately my back straightened and I quickened my pace to match his.

"I hear you can go fast." He said out of the blue," So let's see how well you can keep up."

Confusion tugged at my nerves. What could the black hedgie possibly mean? Then he fled in a blur. Nervousness rose up in my chest, but I forced it back down and gave chase. To be honest, I'd never raced anyone before, or tried for that matter. Catching up to Shadow would be the ultimate test for me. And doing it without anyone recognizing me added to the challenge. Thankfully, we were out of the city limits in a blink of an eye.

I followed him to Cream's house, feeling my ears fold back with worry. Shadow watched me with intent as I found my place next to him at the doorstep.

"You act as if it's the end of the world." He noted bluntly. I flinched and averted my gaze. I half expected him to continue on, but instead heard him knock hard against the wooden frame. Vanilla opened it, casting me a warm smile.

"Come on in! The others are inside." She held the door open. Shadow waited for me to walk in before following me inside. I shifted my bag on my back, feeling my heart race. Amy and Knuckles sat at the table with indifference clearly written on their faces. Tails had a seat beside Cream on the ground. I spotted Rouge standing off to the side emotionlessly.

"Shadow says you were at the beach." Amy started.

"Yeah."

"And you didn't bother to tell us." Knuckles grumbled. I didn't respond.

"Why weren't you answering?" Tails asked.

"No service. Didn't get your texts till this morning."

"We're suppose to be able to trust you." Knuckles growled. Once again, no response was given.

"Lay off, Red." Rouge spoke up," It's not like she has a communicator like the rest of us."

Knuckles scowled, but otherwise made no other attempt to argue.

"It's cool, Rouge." I muttered," He's right."

All the drama from the week crashed back down on me. I couldn't do this. I just- I couldn't–…

I clenched my fists and looked away.

"Are you all right Miss Emma?" I faintly heard Cream ask. I gulped with rising bitterness.

"I-I gotta go." I turned to leave, but came face to face with Shadow.

"You can't just run when things get tough." He stated. I glared at him. He didn't understand. None of them did. I wasn't fit for this. I shoved past him and barged out the door. If they called, I didn't hear them. I could only hear yelling, over and over repeatedly from yesterday's events. The long ride between destinations had always been my favorite part. Up until going home.

If I couldn't handle my own problems, how could I handle the world's?


	30. Chapter 30

**_Fair warning before you read this. The POV is switched and the entire chapter isn't exactly "positive". It needs some real bad editing, but I was too lazy XP._**

Six years before...

"How are you feeling, Miss Burns?"

The little girl was dizzy with nervousness. The Counselor's office had a sharp smell similar to a hospital. She never did like hospitals. She averted her gaze and refused to speak.

"Ms. Lang here tells me you said something during her gifted class."

Emma peered to the side where the younger teacher stood. Worry was etched into her face.

"Is everything okay at home? Your mom, your dad–"

"He doesn't live with me." She said quietly. It wasn't news to her. Her parents had been apart for as long as she could remember. But other kids found it strange. It was the main reason she hated this town.

"I'm sure that's hard on you." The Counselor said softly. Emma flinched. She hadn't known any other life. It wasn't hard. Just different. And she was getting tired of people getting the wrong idea.

"We want to help you, Emma." Ms. Lang told her," But you have to let us before we can do anything."

She felt guilty for worrying the teachers. She didn't know much about the world, but she was positive girls her age weren't suppose to feel hollow. She was sure they never stayed sad as long as she did. And she had no doubt that no nine year old would ever say they would kill themselves.

But she also knew the teachers couldn't help.

Emma took a deep breath and began to talk about her dad. Blaming it on him would be easier than blaming it on her mom or the kids at school. It would keep her out of more trouble than she was already in. Even if it was the biggest lie she ever told.

Things only went further downhill when her mom came to pick her up. The guidance Counselor made her roll down the window.

"Mrs. Burns, your daughter has a few...issues."

"Pardon me, but I don't understand."

"She said something today. Not to mention her attitude and grades are pitiful. Is everything all right at home?"

"What did she say?"

The Counselor hesitated, glancing slightly at young Emma.

"She told one of the other students she wanted to kill herself."

"Oh."

Dread leaked into Emma. She knew she should've kept her mouth shut. When her mother said "oh" that way, it meant trouble. If that dumb kid would've just kept his mouth shut...

"Serious action needs to take place."

"Of course. Thank you for telling me."

The guidance teacher smiled, seeming relieved that the little girl was in good hands. If people could've just peered behind the masks, maybe things could've been different.

Emma almost did. She stared and stared blankly at just about everything while her mother seethed with anger and frustration. She was yelled at, just like she predicted. Her mother paced back and forth between rooms, cursing and pulling her own hair.

"Would would you say that??" She yelled.

"I don't know!!"

"Well you must've! You don't just say things like that without a reason!"

Emma placed her head in her hands. There had to be a way out of this mess, a way where she didn't have to tell Mom the real reason.

"Do you realize saying that could take you away from me? Could send me to prison??"

She fully well knew that.

"No."

Tears were starting to stream down, now. Something had to be done. She took a deep breath and began the same lie she told the teachers. The one where she missed her father. She didn't say anything about being empty or sad. Just spoke about the old days. Her mother softened at that. Said she just remembered her dad had texted three weeks before. He wanted to see her and Rose. It was a story, and though Emma could see right through it. She was relieved anyway.

But even when she started visiting him, a regret always lurked in the back of her mind. What she had told that boy was the truth. She would've done it. She never told a soul why she didn't go ahead with it, why she didn't end it all. Emma would tell close friends years later in Station Square about that day, but she left out that one very important detail.

After all was said and done, fear was the real reason. She was too scared to do it. She didn't think she could go through with the physical pain of it. And what happened after death? She was worried of nonexistence. So she never admitted her motives, never wanting to see herself as a coward.


	31. Chapter 31

The day took forever to get through. No one bothered to text me. I doubted they wanted me back in their gang. Mia didn't sit by me during lunch, which was odd enough for her. Then Ash was dumped by Callie. Or rather, I dumped him for her. She personally asked me to do the dreadful task. The dilemma put him in a slump. To sum it up, the day was not going so well.

When it was finally time to leave the torture house we all called school, I was ready to go to Granny's and take a long run. All those plans were interrupted when a certain boy came rushing out right behind me and stopped me in my tracks. Leon turned to me holding a forest green bundle in his hands. I furrowed my eyebrows at the young lion, wondering why in God's name he had tracked me down. He held out the mess of cloth to me.

"You left this in Ag a few weeks back. I would've given it to ya sooner, but I've been kinda sick." He explained. I slowly took it from him and unfolded it. Turned out, it was my jacket. My favorite jacket. The one I left sitting on a wagon the day Eggman first attacked. How long had that been ago? How could I forget having it?

I finally turned back to him with a smile.

"Thanks man. You have no idea how much this means to me." I told him. He nodded and continued his way to the streets. I placed my bag down and slipped the old thing on. It was a couple of years old, given to me by Tyler on my thirteenth birthday. If I was ever upset, I curled up into it to cheer me up. When I had scars to hide, it did the job. This jacket was my protection, my shield from the world and all it's harm. There was no way I could ever forget it.

Yet...I did forget it. Why? I heaved my pack back on my shoulder and started walking down the street. The unanswered question tickled my mind, refusing to let me drift off in thought. It troubled me to know I had put aside this treasured keepsake. Had being with the gang really affected me that much? If I was completely honest– which I almost never was– it had been fun. It was something to look forward to during the day. A kinda hobby. I chuckled, thinking most kids would kill to have been in the position I had been in. To play the Blue Blur as if you were the hero.

I got the group back together. That was something to be proud of. I fought Eggy, argued with Knuckles, and fought side by side with Möbius's greatest heroes. I paused in my steps, wondering what they were doing now.

The family always ate at Granny's table for dinner. She hated us eating out, unless she didn't feel like cooking.

"Cooking for me is like running is to you." She told me," It's my escape. My favorite thing to do in the day."

So of course we stayed there to eat. My aunt and new step uncle were there, Poppy and Rose were there...and Mom was sitting across from me. On her phone. She eventually put it down when the meal was served. I could barely stop myself from scarfing the entire table. It was halfway through dessert that things went down south.

Poppy turned on the TV, which broadcasted a spot nearby. All it took were the words "Eggman" and "attack" for me to lose my appetite.

"He's been showing up more often lately." Poppy thought aloud.

"Great." Mom muttered," More patients for me."

It angered me to hear her say that. I thought back on the past few weeks. How much I missed the gang. How great it felt to finally run, to finally feel wanted. I glared down at my half eaten food. And then I did something next to suicide.

"Poppy?"

"Whatty?"

"Where's that attack at?" Granny and Rose looked at me with warning.

"A couple of streets up from here. Why?"

"K. Thanks." I grabbed my plate and dumped out the remains in the trash before sticking it in the dishwasher.

"Where are you going?" Mom suddenly ask. I didn't turn around, didn't even look at her.

"Duty calls."

Then I raced out.


	32. Chapter 32

Finding the fight was easy. Spotting a good place to jump in? Not so much. I circled around the scene, not caring if anyone saw me. It was about time I pulled off the mask.

Eggman had his hovercraft placed inside a tentacle bot of some sort. He sent out one harpoon at Tails, who was up in his plane. I used every bit of power I had to speed up a building and jump up into the sky. At that point, I curled up into a ball and slammed right into the tentacle. It was kinda difficult thanks to my jacket, but otherwise it didn't affect my move at all.

"YOU!!!!" Eggman suddenly yelled. I landed with my knees bent, aching slightly from the impact.

"What's up, Egg McFatty?" I smirked up at him. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Orbot and Cubot were at his side's, and both sweatdropped at my little nickname.

"I THOUGHT I WAS RID OF YOU!"

"Weird," I said," My mom said the same thing to my chao."

Now furious, the fat scientist slammed down on a button. I jumped up and landed on it, clinging as I was lifted up to his height.

"Hiya!!" I grinned. I bounced up and spinballed into his controls before hopping back to safety. I thought that was it. The thing is, Eggman has this annoying habit of having a stupid plan B up his sleeve. He literally pulled out another set of controls from nowhere and started using that instead.

Amy popped up by my side with a smile.

"Glad you're back!" She said. I grinned. I was glad to be back, too. Knuckles came right behind her, stopping only feet away. He gave me nod, though uncertainty still lingered in his gaze. I flashed them a thumbs up before racing back into action. I raced up the side of yet another building and pushed off to jump. Landing was the only hard part there was to it. We all had the same idea. Make sure we defeated him, and not him having another backup plan. I figured that if I could take out the engine while he was focused on the others, maybe he would finally be defeated.

There had to be a panel. Something outline with bolts or maybe have a sign that says "engine". I had no such luck finding that, so I had to take a lucky guess. Time was running short. It wouldn't be long before he realized I wasn't in the fight, if he hadn't noticed already. But where would an engine to a machine like this be? I tried to recall every cliche robot fight I had seen. Normally they hid in the center area. Only thing was, I couldn't spinball that deep.

Sadly, my time was up. Cubot turned around on his seat and spotted me. I mentally cussed and cursed the cheap bot with every swear I knew.

"Boss! Hammer girl's twin is back here!!"

"For crying out loud, Cubot, her name is–" Eggman stopped once he peered back at me. I shot a nervous grin and a small wave.

"Thought you could hide from me, hm?" He snickered. He moved a little joystick just in my line of sight. It was easy for me to predict when to leap. I landed right beside Knuckles and watched as the harpoon pierced the metal coating. It smashed right through the wires and tore up the insides.

"Drat it all!!" Eggman cursed, moving his hovercraft into the air. The hunk of metal collapsed into a junk pile.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY SO EASILY NEXT TIME YOU BRAT!!!!" Eggman yelled as he flew away. Orbot and Cubot waved like the polite morons they were.

"Well that was fun." I said with a stretch," But I would've thought he'd have brought something harder."

Amy rushed up to me and Knuckles, dust smudging her cheek.

"Are you two all right?" She asked. Knuckles grunted. I nodded. Tails landed to the side, flying out of the plane and landing in front of us.

"That was great!" He grinned. I smirked and ruffled the fur on top of his head. He whined but didn't move away. Knuckles and Amy eyed the motion with amusement. The last time they probably had seen that done was a long time ago. The moment was killed by my phone buzzing and ringing. I sighed, anxiety creeping inside of me. The others watched patiently, talking with quiet excitement.

"Hello?"

"You're at the battle."

Ah crap.

"Yes ma'am."

"Why?"

"I…I don't know."

Lies after lies.

"Yes you do. I don't appreciate being lied to."

"Fine. You want the truth? I came because I felt like it. I came to help. Actually, there are millions of reasons to why I did come."

Neither one of us spoke for a few moments. We were both stunned. I had never given her an attitude. She had never ever seen this side of me. I had made sure of it. Finally, she continued.

"Get over here."

"What are you going to do?" I tried to say it with anger, but all that came out was fear.

"I'm not sure yet." She snapped," I am so furious right now, you will be lucky if I don't beat you."

I gulped and closed my eyes.

Take deep breaths, I told myself.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't see what I did wrong. I get it that you really don't like having so many people come in because of these fights–"

"You think I'm mad because of that??"

I stayed silent, stunned. What else would it be?

"Emma, I'm your mother. I may not be home much, I may not act right all the time, but it still worries me when my daughter is out there in danger. I don't want you to become one of my patients."

I was quiet as she continued, slowly breaking down. She was about to lose it. I could sense it.

"Do you think I want to watch you lie in bed, practically dead or worse because of one of those fights?" She sniffed. Despite all the reasons in my head to fight, I was beginning to feel guilty. What was I doing, running around doing things like this?

"Come on home, Emma. Be a hero some other way. But not like this." She pleaded. I almost gave in. Almost. Then I remembered all the times she hadn't cared or noticed. The times when her anger grew so great that I had to lock myself in my closet because I didn't want her to see me cry. I pressed back the tears that threatened to spill at that moment.

"I'm sorry Mom." I whispered. Then I hung up.

I finally noticed the gang staring at me when I put my phone up. Knuckles turned and walked to the plane.

"Are you okay." Amy asked softly. It took me a few moments to realize I was crying. I swiftly brushed away the salty tears and forced a smile.

"No." I told her," But I'm getting better."

In some ways, it was the truth. Being with these guys had helped me in more ways than they would ever know.

"I'll go get the plane started. Oh, and Emma, there's something I need to give you." Tails said. He rushed into the cockpit of the plane before I could ask.

"Come on." Amy smiled," Let's go."

I let her lead me away, glad for a distraction. I was in no hurry to go home.


	33. Chapter 33

CAUTION: Contains terrible poems. Brace yourself XD

If there is one place I absolutely cannot stand to be in, it's Tails's workshop. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place, especially for an eleven year old boy. But the air smelled sharp of metal and rubber, and the space was crowded when we met up. Nevertheless, it was the safest place for us to group up. At the moment, we were all just standing around,waiting for Tails to come back with the results of...whatever he wanted to give me. Knuckles stood beside me, rubbing his namesakes impatiently. Amy sat across the shop, shuffling her deck of tarrot cards. The silence was awkward. Eventually I started texting Ash. The poor guy had been rejected by Callie after trying to ask her out again. If only he could pick his moments better.

He wouldn't answer my regular texts, forcing me to send him poems. I got to the point where I needed a word.

"What rhymes with up?" I asked.

"Cup?" Amy offered. Knuckles gave me a strange look as I bit my lip.

"Nope. Need a different word." I replied.

"Why?" Knuckles asked.

"What about pup?" Amy tried. I lit up, nodding.

"Perfect!" I grinned. I typed furiously before clicking send.

"You haven't answered my question." Knuckles muttered bluntly. I gave him a sheepish smile.

"My bad, Knuckles. I'm sending my heart broken pal a few poems. They're terrible, but I think they'll make him laugh." I told him.

"Can I hear them?" Amy asked.

"Great." Knuckles grumbled," Just what I need."

I ignored the echidna's comment and pulled up my works.

"You stare ahead with sad eyes

Wondering why you believed those bad lies.

Your pain is too heavy

Your heart is unsteady

But I know you will be all right."

"How is that suppose to make him laugh?" Knuckles asked. I gave him a look and continued.

"You're ignoring my texts, that's fine.

I expected as much from your kind.

But it's time to face the facts

You should've done better acts

Now you're stuck in a depressing time."

"Once again: How is that funny?"

Amy shushed the confused echidna, leaving him to grumble about his misery. I gave her a thankful smile.

"Stop being sad, you're okay.

I'm here and I'm not going away.

If you would please cheer up

And stop looking like an upset pup

That would really make my day."

Then I smirked at Knuckles, feeling another rhyme hitting my tongue.

"I'm not gonna stop till you break.

I may keep rhyming when it's late.

it's funny when you squirm

When you handle this burn

As I watch you quiver with hate."

He scowled at me, hearing my message loud and clear.

"You just came up with that?" Amy asked. I glanced over at her, feeling slightly proud at my mad poetry skills.

"Yeah." I answered, unable to conceal all of my smugness.

"You think you're a great rap.

Allow me to tip my cap.

But your words are quite trashy.

Your beat isn't catchy

And I may puke from this terrible chap."

I swerved to find Knuckles smirking. I hadn't realized he had it in him. Challenge accepted!

"Thank you for speaking your mind

Your skills as a poet are fine

But step back you rodent

My words are quite potent

And I doubt you could handle my rhyme."

I grinned wider and wider as Amy let out a chorus of laughter. Knuckles cracked his fists and straightened up.

"Your attempts to win are futile

Your definite defeat will be brutal

Just give up, you dolt

I'll give you a jolt

Then I'll be the one saying 'Toodles'!"

I opened my mouth for a comeback, but I choked as his last sentence hit me. I started giggling, unable to come up with another good rhyme. Knuckles sat back with a smirk, knowing he had won. But was the humiliation worth it? Or had he even realized? Amy was cackling with me, both of us falling back on our butts.

"Toodles?" I managed to ask. He shuffled, the thought slowly dawning on him.

"I-I can't...!!!!" Amy couldn't finish. Our laughter echoed throughout the workshop. When Tails finally stepped in, he stopped dead and stared at us blankly.

"What happened here?" He asked.

"Don't ask." Knuckles answered blandly. Which brought out even more laughing. The young kitsune gave us all another strange look before striding up to me. I forced myself to stand and stop giggling. Tails held out an object that looked similar to a watch.

"It's a wrist communicator." He explained while fixing it on my arm," Now we'll be able to contact you from anywhere so an incident like when you went to the beach doesn't happen again."

I grinned at him, fiddling with the contraption.

"Thanks, man." I said. He smiled with content, his two tails drifting back and forth.

"Welcome to the team!" Amy exclaimed. Even Knuckles offered a nod of approval. A rush of excitement passed through me. I was officially a member of the Sonic gang!


	34. Chapter 34

Golden rays of sunlight fell upon me and Lady as we sat beneath the open window. She cooed happily in my lap whilst biting into the fruit treat in her arms. I rubbed the top of her head affectionately with a smile. Things had been quite different around the house since the announcement of my new duties. Mom hadn't acknowledged my presence since, probably too upset to know how to talk to me anymore. If I was honest, I didn't blame her. After all, if my kid had gone and tried to save the world behind my back, I would've felt the same. I could've been hurt. I might've became one of her patients. And yet...I beat all the odds. Wasn't that something to be proud of?

My latest progress report hung on my door with three grades highlighted. While having this extra duty was fun and all, some of my grades were taking the brunt of the exhaustion. It was about time I started raising them up. If I didn't, Micheal would never let me live down the fact that his report was better than mine. Then there was the problem with Dad and Tyler...

I shook my head in hopes of clearing those negative thoughts. It was about time I started looking on the bright side of things and stop being a pessimistic freak. Suddenly, Lady dropped her fruit with wide eyes. She practically leaped out of my lap and flew around my head. At the moment I couldn't decipher her tantrum because I was too busy wiping off the juice that spilled on my leg. I scowled at her, wondering what had gotten into her. The young chao then batted my head with her tiny arms in frustration. I grabbed her and pulled her away with concern.

"What's wrong, girl?" I asked. She squirmed in my grasp with clear frustration. Finally I released her, hoping she'd show me what was aggravating her. It was then that Granny called from the front door.

"Emma! There's a cute boy here to see you!"

I groaned and rubbed my head. Her first impressions on people were never the best, be it intimidating or embarrassing. Lady was now chooing louder and flying in never ending circles. For once I wondered if chaos could catch madness.

"If he's cute," I finally called back," then he's probably at the wrong house!!"

I stood up and tried my best to catch Lady, but she evaded each of my swings. The next time Granny called, I rushed out. But only because Lady had started out the door, still chooing at the loudest volume she could muster. Coincidentally, she flew right out the front door past a baffled Granny. I flashed her an apologetic smile before stepping out. I faintly heard the door shut behind me as I took in the scene.

Standing on my porch, attempting to pry Lady off, was Sonic the hedgehog.

There had never been a time where I wanted to run more than I did in that moment. Would he be mad? Glad? I really didn't want to find out. But rather than racing away or standing there like the idiot I was, I walked up to the poor hedgie and ripped off my chao. Lady wriggled in an further attempt to reach Sonic, but this time I refused to let her go.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, shooting a frown down at a frantic Lady. He was silent, which worried me. I looked up, afraid he was angry, but I was met with a shocked stare. I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what was wrong. He shook his head after a moment and offered a nervous smile.

"My bad. I didn't expect you to have pink hair."

I blinked, completely caught off guard. What did my hair have to do with anything? He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck with awkwardness.

"So...you're the girl I have to thank." He started. I cocked my head, holding Lady close.

"For what?"

"For helping my gang."

"I didn't do anything but show up."

"You did more than that. You helped them believe I could come back." He shot me a sheepish smile," So, uh, thanks."

Lady chooed something furiously at him, waving her tiny arms. I sighed and put her back in the house.

"Heh, doesn't seem to like me much." He chuckled. I looked at him with a shrug.

"She's a highly trained attack chao created for the sole purpose to protect me." I stated. He peered past me at the "attack chao" glaring at him through a window.

"I'm kidding bro." I smirked," But seriously, she's really protective over me. So don't piss me off."

He chuckled, though still with slight nervousness.

"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."

I leaned against one of the posts on our porch, sensing that this was going to take a while.

"So tell me, Blue Boy," I started," where in the heck were you this whole time?"

He crossed his arms and grinned.

"Now that," He said," is a long story."

To be continued...

 **Here it is guys! The ending you've been waiting for! Sort of. Before you start throwing virtual fruit at me for leaving you hanging for _three days_** **and then giving you this terrible chapter, let me just say there will be a book two.** **Also, I'd like to thank everyone who followed this story and actually read all the way through it. And thank you, bikerboy, for all those reviews (or comments. whatever they are). They really helped :)** **Again, thanks guys!** **-SpottedeyestheAmazing**


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